The letter must explain who is gifting the money, where the donor's funds are coming from and the relationship between the donor and the recipient. Yes, all lenders will require a gift letter.Although you may have the funds, the lender needs to confirm that you won't have to repay the gift. Mortgage Gift letter is what the donor of the gift writes to the lender stating that he has offered a gift of money to the home buyer. The lender will need a "gift letter" from the donor to make sure your down payment help has no strings attached. From my understanding, giving a gift to parents after they supply a gift and gift letter is fraud regardless of the funds' origins. You are not required to sign a promissory note to your mother after receiving a financial gift for a mortgage from your father. You are not required to sign a promissory note to your mother after receiving a financial gift for a mortgage from your father. Determining whether the money was a gift to you alone or was a gift to you and your spouse jointly requires an analysis of the facts and evidence. It also proves the money is a nostrings present, not an additional debt the borrower is responsible for.