The law allows for a certain amount of money to be gifted to individuals with no tax consequences on an annual basis. For the 2020 tax year, the gift tax exclusion amount is $15,000. Many aging parents take advantage of this exclusion to reduce their probate estate and avoid tax penalties by gifting up to this amount to their adult children annually. However, if the adult child they are gifting this money to has his or her own financial struggles and is being pursued for creditors, that money could be fair game.
The problem is that this money is not protected if the receiving party is being pursued by a creditor for an outstanding debt. If the debt is valid and still legally collectible, money that is gifted to the consumer is reachable for purposes of satisfying what is owed.