When someone offers to help you make a down payment on a house, your lender will require a gift letter for a mortgage. Here's what it includes.How much money do you need to receive before a gift letter is necessary? A gift letter is a note from a donor to your lender regarding cash funds for your mortgage down payment. The letter shall include any restrictions on the offer to which DBH has agreed. The Director or designee shall prepare and complete form 12-7973-123, "Notice of. This guide explains how to document gift funds for a mortgage and meet lender requirements. The bank requested a letter from my parents stating this was a gift when they saw the deposit. It was an amount below the annual gift tax limit. This web page provides basic information about probate guardianships for children.