No, it is perfectly legal. It is called the annual “exclusion” amount, because you get to exclude it from estate tax calculations.
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employe...
> What can be excluded from gifts?
> The general rule is that any gift is a taxable gift. However, there are many exceptions to this rule. Generally, the following gifts are not taxable gifts.
>Gifts that are not more than the annual exclusion for the calendar year.
>Tuition or medical expenses you pay for someone (the educational and medical exclusions).
>Gifts to your spouse.
>Gifts to a political organization for its use.
>In addition to this, gifts to qualifying charities are deductible from the value of the gift(s) made.
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employe...
