How do taxes work if I receive money from a friend?

[Michael Amos]

How would taxes work if I receive money from a wealthy friend who isn't a "Private lender", but just someone willing to donate cash to help me with a fix and flip. What forms should be given from me to them, or them to me for tax purposes? 

[Darius Ogloza]

When you say "donate," do you actually mean that this person is gifting you the money?  Or, do you mean this person is loaning you the money?  Or is this person an equity investor looking to profit from the deal?  

[Basit Siddiqi]

You first need to determine how to classify the money that you received from the friend.

is it a loan?
Is it a gift?
Is it for an equity position?

Each of the above have different considerations for tax purposes.

[Andrew Postell]

@Michael Amos feel free to leave this post here...you have great comments above already...but this is the lending forum.  So this is usually for questions about loans, how to get them, qualifying, etc.  There is an entire "Tax" forum.  You will get TONS of responses there this this type of a post.  I might suggest to post this there as well.  Just to cover all bases.  Hope all of that makes sense. Thanks!