50% Of Students Fail To Apply For Government Grants And Loans…
… An astounding figure but true. A study by the American Council On Education shows that up to 8 million students who are eligible for grants and loans (that’s right they can get the money if they ask) are not applying. Look for yourself at www.acenet.edu/resources/higheredfacts/issue-briefs/2004FAFSA.pdf.

Matching Funds up to$1,500 to Help Save for a Home…
… Participants in the NJ IDA program must make regular monthly/weekly deposits from earned income, complete 16 hours of financial education, and approximately 8 to 10 hours of asset-specific training. The participant’s savings and match funds are paid directly to purchase of one of three assets: a home, education or business capitalization/expansion. The match rate is $1 for every $1 saved up to $1,500 a year for one to three years. Eligible applicants are adults with an annual household income meeting set guidelines. Also eligible are adults who would be eligible for Work First NJ and who have one or more minor children. This is matching funds available for qualified families to save for homeownership, business expansion, or post-secondary education. Contact: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing and Community Resources, Individual Development Account Program, P.O. Box 806, 101 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08625-0806; (609) 292-6140; www.state.nj.us/dca/dhcr/ida.shtml; email dhcr@DCA.state.nj.us.

Money for Down Payment and Closing Costs…
… The Start Smart Program is available to participants in the Agency's first mortgage homebuyers program who are purchasing homes in Smart Growth areas and who meet HMFA's homebuyer county income limits. The program helps these families by offering a second mortgage for down payment and/or closing costs up to 4% of the first mortgage. Home purchase price limits exist for both the statewide and target areas. The property must be occupied as the borrower's primary residence within 60 days of closing, and the borrower must maintain occupancy for the life of the loan. Interest on the second mortgage will be at the same rate as the first mortgage and will be calculated as simple interest. All assistance secured under the Smart Start Program will be partially forgiven in four equal increments starting on the fourth anniversary of the closing of the loan and on each anniversary thereafter until the debt is satisfied. If the borrower lives in the property for seven years the principal plus accrued interest will be fully forgiven. If the borrower sells, refinances or ceases to occupy the property as his/her primary residence, full repayment will be due. Contact: New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, 637 South Clinton Avenue, P.O. Box 18550, Trenton, NJ 08650-2085; (800) NJ-NOUSE; www.nj.gov/dca/hmfa/singfam/smartstart.htm.

Don’t Forget to Check Out My New Blog…
… You can find it at www.leskoblog.com.

$15,000 Loans to Improve Newly Purchased Homes…
… The Home Plus Program provides a fixed-interest rate home mortgage to qualified first-time and urban area homebuyers with immediate home improvement needs. Homeowners are allowed to finance up to $15,000 toward home repairs and improvements as part of the first mortgage. Improvements allowed include replacing a roof, painting, installing improved heating or air conditioning systems, renovating a kitchen or bath, renovating plumbing or electrical systems and enlarging rooms. Energy conservation and solar energy improvements as well as handicap accessibility improvements are also eligible. This program provides 30-year fixed-rate mortgages for existing single-family homes (not more than 1 unit dwelling) in the statewide and targeted areas. The home improvement portion of the proceeds may only be used for alteration, repairs or improvements to substantially protect or improve the basic livability or energy efficiency of the acquired property. Borrowers purchasing properties located in the statewide areas must be first-time homebuyers. Borrowers purchasing properties located in the targeted areas do not have to be first-time homebuyers; however, at the time of loan closing no other residential properties may be owned. The Home Plus Program requires a 5% down payment. All home improvements must be completed within 180 days of closing and the Lender or its appraiser must submit a certification of completion and proof of payment. Income limits are determined by the area of purchase as well as family size. Purchase price limits exist for both statewide and target areas. Contact: New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, 637 South Clinton Avenue, P.O. Box 18550, Trenton, NJ 08650-2085; (800) NJ-NOUSE; www.nj.gov/dca/hmfa

Retraction…
… We recently ran a spot in our newsletter highlighting the program Where Fun and Learning Click! funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. We have since discovered that while this program has awarded grants for media producers to produce Web sites for kids in the past, it's not a permanent, ongoing program. There have been two rounds, but currently there are no plans to offer any more grants. PBS does not offer any grants for kids. We apologize for the incorrect information.

Hurry To Get $2,000 For Your Kids…
… The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes honors 10 outstanding young leaders between 8 and 18 years of age. Each year half the winners devoted their energies on protecting the health and sustainability of the environment. The other five awardees have been the driving force behind projects to help communities locally or globally. Each winner receives $2,000 to be applied to their service project or toward their higher education. Deadline: April 30. Nomination forms at www.barronprize.org.

Get $500 For Your Bureaucrat Story…
… And the 2 runner ups get $100 each. And all three get a bunch of new books. Take a look at www.lesko.com/bureaucrat.

Iraqi War Vet Learns About Discount Dental For Everybody…
… I’ve been giving free money seminars for the troops at Walter Reed Hospital and one of the Iraqi War Vets realized that the military wouldn’t pay for the dental work he needed. They would only pay for pulling teeth and not for braces. Braces can range from $5,000 to $9,000, but we hooked him up with a program that will do the work for only $3,100. Here’s his reaction to our find (he allowed us to use his name):
“Oh my God!! That sounds like an excellent deal!!! I think that might be workable!! I really appreciate your help. I know everyone has their own share of problems, and I can’t even begin to explain to you what I have going on right now. I can’t thank you enough for all your help, it really means a lot to me. All I’ve ever wanted was to have a beautiful smile and show the world my true self. Now I have a good start in making my dream come true. Thanks to you!!!!”… SPC Andres A. Castillo

If the Dept. of Defense is not caring for all the needs of our vets there are other organizations that will – you just have to find them. You don’t have to be a vet to qualify; they will help everybody. We found this service at the University of Maryland Dental School. Most every dental school has discount dental services. So look for one near you.

Be Careful What You Read…
… I took an interest in the fact that it seems that radio personality Don Imus got hit recently with lies and half-truths, just like I did. The Wall Street Journal ran a big front page article today implying that he is scamming people with his non-profit ranch but if you look closely at the article, the only real charge is that he spends a heck of a lot of money for 100 kids to go to camp. I think that’s his right to spend the money and everyone knows he does because tax returns for non-profits are open to the public. See www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0324Imus-Ranch-ON.html.

The Consumer Protection Board did the same thing to me. When you sort out their flurry of half-truths and down right lies, their only charge is that people can get the information I sell elsewhere. And that’s really funny, because I have always admitted that. I’ve been bragging for over 25 years that my first New York Times bestseller was a book I copied from the U.S. Government Printing Office. Remember, nothing in the government has a copyright. So anyone can take any government publication and sell the heck out of it.

I think the story here is ”reader beware”. Anyone can make anyone else look bad if they really want to pull things apart enough, and we all have to stand by our life’s work as the true test of what we have done for the world.

Do you Realize You Can Go Direct…
… to the web site of the government office that is offering the money on our new DVD, “Free Money For Everybody”? You don’t have to read any of my books. If your computer reads DVDs, the technology allows me to give you a personal seminar on which government office has money for you and then you can click right on the web link that is on there and they will “Show You The Money.” But don’t worry if your computer does not read DVDs; you can watch my seminar on your TV and use the enclosed booklet that has all the web sites and phone numbers. See www.freemoneyforeverybody.com/everydvd01/.

Want to Be Your Own Boss…?
… My new book, “Free Money for Entrepreneurs” will show you how! There are over 10,000 programs for people who want to start or expand a business including grants, low-interest loans, and loans you don’t pay back, plus hundreds of free services like free help with filling out money applications, free help getting government contacts, free legal help, free marketing help, and more. Order your copy today at www.howtogetagrant.com/grentrepreneurs1.