A gift letter must contain the donor's name, the gift's value, confirmation that the gift is not to be repaid, and the donor's signature. Are there tax consequences for down payment gift funds?The IRS taxes gifts made over a certain dollar amount. One, a gift is not taxable for the donor or donee unless it exceeds lifetime gift tax exclusion during their lifetime. The general rule is that any gift is a taxable gift. However, there are many exceptions to this rule. Gifts are generally not taxable to recipients. You could end up owing some tax. Gifts given for real estate purchases typically do not result in any taxes. This applies to both the giver and receiver.