Can they garnish/levy my wages if my tax dependent owes back taxes in another state?

The good news is that simply claiming someone as a dependent on your tax return doesn't make you liable for their tax debts. Tax dependency is just a status for your federal (and possibly state) income tax purposes - it doesn't create any kind of legal liability relationship between you and your dependent regarding their separate tax obligations. The state taxing authority can only go after the assets and income of the person who actually owes the taxes. They can't levy your bank account or garnish your wages for someone else's tax debt, even if that person is your dependent. The levy powers only extend to the actual taxpayer who owes the money. That said, if you have any joint accounts with your brother or co-own any property, those could potentially be targeted since your brother has partial ownership. But from what you've described, you don't have any joint accounts or assets, so your finances should be protected.

I went through something kinda similar with my cousin who I claimed as a dependent while he was in college. Later found out he had unpaid taxes from a summer job. I was freaking out until I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which helped me understand exactly what my legal exposure was. They analyzed my situation and confirmed that claiming someone as a dependent doesn't make you responsible for their tax liabilities. The tool breaks down all the dependency rules and potential implications in really simple terms. It really helped me stop worrying about whether I'd be on the hook for his tax issues. They also provided documentation I could keep on file just in case any questions ever came up about it. Gives serious peace of mind when you're dealing with complicated family tax situations.

I was really skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it when my roommate (claimed as a dependent) got hit with a huge tax bill from his previous state. The anxiety was killing me thinking they might come after my bank account. Uploaded my docs and explained the situation, and they came back with a clear explanation of why I wasn't liable plus relevant tax court cases that established the precedent. They even provided a letter template to respond if I ever received any incorrect collection notices. The peace of mind was worth it - turns out the tax liability boundaries are really clear in the law, and claiming someone as a dependent doesn't create financial liability for their tax debts. Wish I'd known this sooner instead of panicking for weeks!

If you're really concerned about the state coming after you, I'd recommend calling the Nevada tax department directly. I tried for weeks to get through to my state tax office about a similar issue and kept hitting endless holds and disconnects. After wasting hours, I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through. They have this service where they navigate the phone systems and wait on hold, then call you when a real human at the tax agency picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I finally spoke with the state tax rep, they confirmed exactly what others have said - claiming someone as a dependent doesn't make you liable for their tax debts. Getting that direct confirmation from the agency itself was the only thing that finally let me stop worrying about it.

I need to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr for a complicated state tax issue I've been dealing with (different state, similar dependent situation). After THREE MONTHS of trying to get answers about whether I could be liable for my dependent parent's tax debt, I used the service and got through to my state tax agency in under 45 minutes. The rep pulled up the relevant state codes and confirmed I have zero liability. The level of relief I feel right now is unreal. Having an official answer directly from the state tax authority beats all the stress and conflicting advice I was getting online. Sometimes paying professionals to handle the frustrating parts is completely worth it.

The others are right about the tax liability thing, but I'd also suggest you help your brother set up a payment plan with Nevada. Back taxes don't just go away, and the longer they sit there, the more penalties and interest pile up. If he's still struggling financially, most states have hardship programs or offers in compromise where they might accept less than the full amount. Nevada specifically has some reasonable payment options if he contacts them proactively before they get more aggressive with collection.

One thing nobody mentioned - make sure your brother opens all mail from the tax authority and responds to everything by the deadlines! My cousin ignored those notices thinking they'd "go away" and ended up with a tax warrant that could have been avoided with a simple response.