If parents help pay for the interest on a student loan, does that count as earned income or fall under the gift-tax if it's too high of a payment?

I have about 16 thousand of interest, and they want to help pay for it, but isn't the gift tax up to 14 thousand? Or because if they pay directly to the loan company, that money never goes into my bank account so it wouldn't be completely obvious?

Thanks for any help.

Submitted October 11, 2017 at 06:39AM by Gay_Black_Atheist http://ift.tt/2y9XY73