can my mom pay down my mortgage and get a tax break if she is not on the mortgage

No. Paying down a debt, whether it's your own debt or that of a family member is not a legitimate deduction when filing taxes. ~ Bert Carpenter, The LoansA2z Team of NEXA Mortgage ~ NMLS 40586 ~ Licensed in AZ, CA, GA, IL, OR & WA... In fact, NEXA is licensed in all states except MA and NY and we are pending approval in VA, so give us a call. ~ www.ApplyYes.com 480-889-9000.