OK, my mom is not gifting me $25K. I loan her $25K over a few years of helping her out. This is a few thousands here and there. Some are not directly to her but checks to her realtor and persons fixing her house etc. Now she wants to pay me back the money she owes me, either from the proceeds of selling the house or through giving me part of the interest/equity of the house (since the house does not sell). How do we make it clear to the IRS it is a loan repayment and not a “gift”?