The IRS does not consider the gift of money for a down payment as taxable income for the recipient. California doesn't enforce a gift tax, but you may owe a federal one.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. Generally, the recipient doesn't owe taxes on gifts. Unless the gift originates from outside the U.S., they won't need to report it to the IRS. Fortunately, California does not impose a separate state-level gift tax. Are there tax consequences for down payment gift funds? The IRS taxes gifts made over a certain dollar amount. The IRS typically adjusts this gift tax exclusion each year based on inflation. LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.