<p>Is there a general way schools using profile look at retirement accounts , if that is essentially the only asset of parent , I will be 63 at time of application , with not much earned income</p>
<p>You must list the balance on your CSS PROFILE, it is not supposed to count as an asset.</p>
<p>When you contribute to your IRA, that shows up on your tax return of course, and that amount of tax deferred income is added back into your AGI (usually line 37 on 1040).</p>