Reviewed by Tan Chua
In many Asian families, parents help their children buy their first home. Often it is a large sum sent from overseas, agreed over dinner and never written down. That works well until something changes: the child separates, a parent dies, a sibling objects, or the lender asks questions.
The most important decision is made at the start. Is the money a loan or a gift? The answer affects what happens to it in a divorce, in an estate and with the bank. Under Australian law it is very hard to change the answer later.
The concerns Asian families raise most
“Will asking for an agreement damage the relationship?” Many parents worry that raising a loan agreement with a child or their partner signals distrust. A clear written arrangement protects the whole family, not against any one person. It is easier when a lawyer explains it, and the wording can be respectful.
“Could our money end up with someone outside the family?” Parents’ greatest worry is a child’s separation, with their contribution divided as the couple’s property. Planning ahead greatly reduces that risk.
“How do we treat all our children fairly?” If one child gets a deposit, what about the others? And how do parents avoid disputes between siblings after they pass away? The loan must be considered alongside the parents’ Wills.
“We live overseas and don’t know Australian law.” We work in Mandarin, Cantonese and English, and meet online across time zones. Our firm includes a notary public for documents signed abroad.
“The bank will ask where the money came from.” Early planning avoids funds being held up just before settlement.
“We don’t want our family finances known.” Lawyers owe clients a duty of confidentiality. Your family’s arrangements are discussed only with you.
A typical situation (an illustrative example, not a real case): parents in Kuala Lumpur plan to fund an apartment in Box Hill or Glen Waverley for each of their two children working in Melbourne. They want the money kept in the family, fairness between the children, and no disputes later. That family needs more than a loan agreement. It needs the loan, the ownership structure and the Wills planned together.
Why “loan or gift” matters
If the child separates. In an Australian property settlement, the court looks at whether family money was a genuine debt. Informal family loans, with no written terms and no repayments, are often treated as gifts to the couple. The money may then be divided with the child’s former partner. See also our guide to transferring Victorian property after separation.
If a parent dies. A documented loan is usually an asset of the parent’s estate that the child must repay or account for. A gift usually is not. This affects fairness between siblings and how the Will operates.
With the lender. Banks usually ask whether a family contribution is a gift or a loan. A loan the bank does not know about can create serious problems for the borrower.
For tax and duty. Interest on a family loan may be taxable income for the parent. If a parent goes on the title instead, Victorian duty, land tax and capital gains tax consequences change.
What a family loan agreement should cover
A template rarely fits a cross-border family. A properly drafted family loan agreement usually deals with:
- Who is lending, who is borrowing, and whether the child’s spouse or partner is a party
- The amount, the currency and how the money was transferred
- Interest, or a clear statement that the loan is interest-free
- When repayment is due, including on sale of the property, separation or death
- Whether the loan is secured over the Victorian property
- What happens if the parent dies before repayment
- Which country’s law governs the agreement, and where any dispute is decided
Securing the loan over the property
An unsecured family loan ranks behind the bank and may be hard to recover. Parents can sometimes take a registered second mortgage or lodge a caveat over the Victorian title. This needs the first lender’s consent and careful drafting. Read more about private lending and second mortgages.
Does the agreement need to be notarised?
Notarisation is not usually what makes a family loan valid in Victoria. What matters is clear terms, proper signing and evidence that the money moved as described. Notarisation and apostille become important when the agreement or supporting documents must be used in another country, or signed by a parent living overseas. Our firm includes a notary public and can advise on both.
Evidence that the loan is real
Whether a loan is genuine is judged on evidence, not labels. Useful evidence includes:
- A signed agreement made at the time of the transfer, not years later
- Bank records showing the transfer from parent to child
- Any repayments or interest actually paid
- Correspondence consistent with a loan
- Disclosure of the loan to the lender
Money coming from overseas
Parents funding a Victorian purchase from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia or elsewhere should plan the transfer early. The rules of the sending country may limit or delay transfers. Australian banks will also ask where the funds came from.
If the parent will also be an owner, the parent’s own residency matters. Foreign Investment Review Board approval and Victoria’s foreign purchaser additional duty may apply. See overseas buyers and sellers of Victorian property.
More than a loan agreement
For families with significant wealth, funding a child’s home is usually one part of a larger plan. There may be several children to treat fairly, or businesses and assets overseas. We consider the loan agreement together with the parents’ Wills, the ownership structure (personal, company or family trust) and the child’s relationship risk. We don’t treat it as a single document in isolation.
Why Asian families choose Chua Tan Associates
More than three decades of Victorian property law. Our lawyer Tan Chua has practised property law for over thirty years, through many cycles of the Victorian market. She has seen what goes wrong when families fund purchases informally. Many risks are visible before the contract is signed, and fixing them later costs far more.
Good advice saves more than it costs. A poorly drafted loan agreement can see parents’ money divided in a divorce. A poorly chosen structure can mean more duty or land tax. A badly handled family arrangement can leave siblings estranged for years. Our value is helping your family avoid those costs.
- We understand Chinese families. A Melbourne family firm since 1990, with two generations of lawyers practising together.
- We understand cross-border. We act for families from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and across South-East Asia.
- One firm for connected issues. Property, Wills and estates, family law and immigration are handled under one roof.
- Your language. Mandarin, Cantonese or English, so parents and children both understand.
- A notary public in the firm for documents used or signed overseas.
- Discretion. Family financial arrangements are discussed only with you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just use a loan agreement template? A template does not address your family’s situation, the lender’s requirements or cross-border issues. A poorly drafted agreement can be worse than none.
We already gave the money years ago. Is it too late? Not always, but documenting it later carries risk and must reflect what really happened. Get advice before signing anything.
Should my parents go on the title instead? Sometimes, but it changes duty, land tax, capital gains tax and lending. It is a structuring decision to make before you sign the contract.
Do you act if the property is outside Victoria? No. We act only on property located in Victoria. Parents and children can live anywhere.
See all our Melbourne property and conveyancing services.
Book a consultation
Every family is different. The right structure depends on your family, the property and where the money comes from. Book a paid initial consultation with our Melbourne property lawyers, and parents overseas are welcome to join online. We will take the time to understand your family, explain your options and quote for drafting the documents. Speak to us in English, Mandarin or Cantonese.
Book a consultation
This article is general information only, not legal or tax advice. Do not rely on it for your own circumstances. Obtain advice before lending, gifting or signing any agreement.
简体中文 
English (Australia) 
繁體中文