>how close is America to collapse?
That I can't say. However, you should know that America and the West as a whole is already collapsing under its own weight, so you'd be wise to do what you can before then. Maybe it will happen in ten years, maybe several decades, maybe even next year. Who knows? I'm not sure if it'll end in total collapse, but it'll definitely be on a spectrum from the collapse of Soviet Union (relatively "safe" but still fucked) to Yugoslavia (ethnic cleansing abounds, you're definitely fucked). A possible third option is Republican China, where governmental control collapses in most of the nation but retains enough power to rule over the rest; outside this area, warlords, cartels, and gangs abound.
>I want to plan ahead accordingly.
Getting /fit/, stockpiling supplies and arms, and learning basic survival skills will do a lot to even the odds in your favor. What will help you even more is to have a useful skill outside of computers, like farming, mechanics, carpentry, metal-working, et cetera. Above all, you're not going to be able to survive by yourself for long. Form a strong, stable group of friends and family, work with your neighbors, and try not to piss them off.
If you need more info, strelok's made a guide called "A World Turned Upside-Down" that you should check out. It's got a lot of useful tips on what you should do. I'll include the pdf so you can take a look at it.
>>5871
Precious metals will only be useful once civilization recovers and stabilizes. You'd be better off trading in luxuries and vices. People will miss them once they're gone.