The Ex-Files: Loan or gift? What happens when parents help out with a home loan

PremiumOpinionOpinion byJeremy SuttonNZ Herald·8 Aug, 2026 11:00 PM4 mins to readJeremy Sutton is a barrister and family lawyer at Bastion Chambers.‌Gift or loan? It is wise to put even informal arrangements in writing. Photo / Getty Images

Q: My boyfriend and I bought our first home around a year ago. My parents transferred us $200,000 to help with the deposit. There was no written loan agreement, but my parents have always referred to the money as a loan and expected us to repay the money when we

The Ex-Files: Loan or gift? What happens when parents help out with a home loan

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