Down Payment Assistance vs. Gift Funds From Family
If a relative can help, you have a choice most buyers do not. Gift funds are faster and simpler. Program assistance is bigger and does not cost your family anything. Sometimes the right answer is both.
Not sure which programs you qualify for?
Answer 10 plain-English questions. No sign-up, no credit pull. You will see which programs you likely qualify for, roughly how much they are worth, and what it does to your monthly payment.
What to know
- No income caps, no first-time buyer rule, no education class.
- Needs a signed gift letter and a paper trail showing where the money came from.
- Closes on your timeline — no agency approval queue.
- The money leaves your family's balance sheet permanently.
- Free or forgivable money from a public agency instead of a relative.
- Comes with income caps, purchase price caps, and usually a homebuyer education course.
- Adds days to the closing timeline and requires an approved lender.
- Often includes a below-market interest rate on the first mortgage too.
- Use program assistance when you qualify — it preserves family money. Use gift funds when you are over the income cap, when the timeline is tight, or when you need reserves the program will not cover. Many buyers use assistance for the down payment and a small gift for reserves.
Ask RED: “Explain Down Payment Assistance vs. Gift Funds From Family in plain English.”
Ask REDPrograms to look at first
Step Up
AHFA · Alabama
30-year fixed FHA/Conventional with a 4% down payment assistance second mortgage repaid over 10 years.
Program detailsAffordable Income Subsidy Grant
AHFA · Alabama
Non-repayable grant of 1% or 0.5% of the loan amount, layered on top of Step Up for borrowers under 80% AMI.
Program detailsMortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)
AHFA · Alabama
Annual federal tax credit worth up to $2,000 for the life of the loan, stackable with FHA/Conv.
Program detailsFirst-Time Home Buyer Program
AHFC · Alaska
Reduced-rate 30-year fixed with 1% off market rate for buyers under 115% AMI.
Program detailsClosing Cost Assistance Program (CCAP)
AHFC · Alaska
Up to 4% of the loan amount as a forgivable second toward down payment and closing costs.
Program detailsRural Owner-Occupied Loan Program
AHFC · Alaska
Below-market financing for homes in Alaska communities under 6,500 population — a lifeline in bush Alaska.
Program detailsFrequently asked questions
What is down payment assistance in Down Payment Assistance vs. Gift Funds From Family?
Down payment assistance is money from a state, county, city, or nonprofit that helps cover your down payment and closing costs when you buy in Down Payment Assistance vs. Gift Funds From Family. Some of it is a grant you never repay, some is a loan that is forgiven after you live in the home for a set number of years, and some is a quiet second mortgage that you settle when you sell or refinance.
Who qualifies for down payment assistance?
Most programs look at four things: your household income compared to the area median, your credit score, whether you have owned a home in the last three years, and the purchase price of the home. You also have to live in the home as your primary residence, and most programs require a short homebuyer education course.
Do I have to pay down payment assistance back?
It depends on the structure. A true grant is never repaid. A forgivable loan is erased over a set number of years as long as you stay in the home. A deferred second mortgage is repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage. A repayable second has a monthly payment from day one.
Can down payment assistance be used with an FHA loan?
Yes. FHA is the most common first mortgage under an assistance program because FHA specifically allows the down payment to come from a government agency. Assistance also pairs with conventional HomeReady and Home Possible loans, and with USDA and VA at some agencies.
What are the income limits for down payment assistance?
Most programs cap household income somewhere between 80% and 150% of the area median income, and the cap usually rises with household size. Because the limit is set by county, the same salary can qualify in one county and not the next one over.
What credit score do I need for down payment assistance?
Most programs start at 620, some FHA-based programs go to 640, and a handful of manually underwritten paths accept 580. A higher score usually unlocks a larger assistance tier and a better interest rate.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
Usually, but 'first-time buyer' almost always means you have not owned a home in the last three years — not that you have never owned one. Some programs waive it entirely for veterans, for buyers in targeted areas, or for certain professions.
Is down payment assistance forgivable?
Often, yes. Forgivable assistance is written as a second lien that shrinks to zero over a set period, commonly three to ten years of living in the home. If you sell or move out early, you repay a prorated share of what was not yet forgiven.
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Related resources
ReadinessIQ is a Homebuyer Readiness Platform, not the agency that funds these programs. We publish what the agencies publish, link to the official source, and tell you when a rule is likely to change. The agency and your lender make the final call on who qualifies.