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Kevin E. Packman

Partner
Miami
t: 305-349-2261

Kevin E. Packman, a native of Miami, Florida, is a Partner with Holland & Knight and a member of its International Estate Planning Group, an integral part of the firm's Private Wealth Services Department. He regularly assists domestic and international clients with estate and gift tax planning. His practice also includes a concentration in the areas of tax controversies, probate administration, and creditor protection planning. He has been recognized repeatedly by Florida Trend as an Up & Comer in the Florida Legal Elite.

Mr. Packman has experience:

  • Assisting domestic clients with preparation of estate plans to minimize gift and estate tax exposure
  • Creating structures through which international clients may invest in the U.S., and avoid estate tax exposure
  • Providing pre-immigration planning to foreign individuals planning to establish domicile in the U.S.
  • Advising U.S. beneficiaries of foreign trusts and/or estates on alternatives to reduce U.S. taxes
  • Advising clients on Foreign Bank Account Reporting compliance
  • Guiding clients through IRS examinations and audits

Additionally, Mr. Packman has:

  • Represented a non-resident alien in a criminal investigation by the United States Department of Justice resulting in no criminal charges being filed against the client.
  • Negotiated the release of an IRS levy against a non-resident alien client's investment account.
  • Resolved an IRS dispute with exposure in excess of $6 million involving income tax, gift tax and various penalty issues for failure to file Forms 3520 and 3520-A for $1.1 million.
  • Represented a client in avoiding criminal sanctions in an investigation by IRS special agents and attorneys from the United States Department of Justice.

Mr. Packman has lectured for the American Bar Association, Florida Bar Association, national financial institutions, national and local accounting offices, and community organizations. He has been published in the Florida Bar Journal, Journal of Taxation, Trusts & Estates as well as in The Jerusalem Post. He has been quoted in national publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Business Week, and in international publications such as The Financial Times on issues related to IRS enforcement and foreign bank account reports. He also drafted legislation that passed the U.S. Congress declaring May as "National ALS Awareness Month."

Mr. Packman is active in the community; he is President of the ALS Recovery Fund, a member of the Kessenich Family MDA ALS Center Advisory Board and a past Board Member of the Easter Seal Society of Miami-Dade County and Israel Bonds organizations. While he has frequently been recognized for his volunteer efforts, Mr. Packman is proudest of having been the first recipient of the ALS Association's Kevin Packman Award for the Most Outstanding Volunteer.

Mr. Packman earned his B.A. in 1993 from the University of Texas (where he was named the Most Outstanding Individual in 1991), his J.D. in 1998 from Washington University School of Law (where he received the Honor Scholar award) and LL.M in Estate Planning in 2002 from the University of Miami School of Law (where he received the Vice President's Award for Service).

Quoted Articles

  • The New York Times, "I.R.S. Seeks Reports of Foreign Account," May 16, 2008
  • Business Week, "The New Global Hunt for Tax Cheats," May 27, 2008
  • Daily Business Review, "DOJ-UBS Compromise May Pry Loose Names of Biggest Tax Cheats," July 14, 2009
  • The Wall Street Journal, "Tax Evaders Flock to IRS To Confess Their Sins," July 30, 2009
  • Daily Business Review, "Swiss, U.S. Reach Agreement in UBS Tax Evasion Dispute," August 13, 2009
  • The Wall Street Journal, "Switzerland, UBS Settle U.S. Tax Case," August 13, 2009
  • The Wall Street Journal, "Tax Cheat Showdown: Fees Up or Stay Quiet?," August 14, 2009
  • Investment News, "IRS on UBS Tax Evasion Settlement: We've Only Just Begun," August 19, 2009
  • Investment News, "Offshore Banking on Endangered List," August 24, 2009
  • The Wall Street Journal, "New Era to Confess A Secret Bank Account," October 20, 2009
  • The Wall Street Journal, "Tax Evaders Face Money-Laundering Rules," October 22, 2009
  • The American Lawyer, "A Very Big Net – Holocaust Survivors Are Caught in the UBS Tax Probe," November 2009
  • Hedge Fund Law Report, "Bills in Congress Post the Most Credible Threat to Date to the Continued Tax Treatment of Hedge Fund Performance Allocations as Capital Gains," December 30, 2009
  • The New York Times, "Swiss Back Away From Deal to Give Names of Wealthy UBS Clients to U.S.," January 28, 2010
  • American Express Small Business Open Forum, "Hot to Deal with Audits," February 11, 2010
  • South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com, "IRS to Begin Audit Sweep on Employment Taxes," February 12, 2010
  • The Wall Street Journal, "IRS Eases Squeeze on Some Foreign Account Holders," March 5, 2010
  • Daily Business Review, "Will New Tax Law Put Damper on Foreign Investments," April 7, 2010
  • WebCPA, "Taxes Know No Borders," April 19, 2010

Community Involvement

  • Holland & Knight LLP, Miami Pro Bono Co-Chair, 2009-Present
  • Miami Children's Hospital, Ambassador Legacy Board, 2009-Present
  • University of Miami Planned Giving Advisory Board, Member, 2008-Present
  • Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Professional Advisory Committee, Lunch & Learn Co Chair, 2007-Present
  • ALS Recovery Fund President, 2001-2009, and Chairman/CEO, 2010

Professional Honors & Awards

  • Rising Star, Florida Super Lawyers magazine, 2009-2010
  • Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend magazine, 2010
  • Florida Legal Elite "Up & Comer," Florida Trend Magazine, 2005-2007
  • Dorothy Shula Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Finalist, United Way of Miami-Dade, 2006
  • 100 "A" List Floridians, Florida International Magazine, 2005
  • Health Care Hero Award, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, 2002
  • Up and Comer Finalist, South Florida Business Journal
  • Thelma Gibson Community Service Award, 2010

Memberships

  • AICPA International Tax Technical Resource Panel's Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Reporting (FBAR) Task Force, Member, 2009-Present
  • The Florida Bar, Civil Tax Procedure, Chair, 2008-2009
  • ABA - Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, 2002-Present
  • ABA Tax Section, 2002-Present
  • Dade County Bar Association - Probate & Guardianship Committee, 2002-Present
  • The Florida Bar - Tax Law Section, 2002-Present
  • The Florida Bar - Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, 2002-Present
  • Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Member, 2009-Present

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Tax Court

Speaking Engagements

  • International Tax Update, Holland & Knight Institute Videoconference, February 17, 2010
  • Estate Planning with Intellectual Property, Holland & Knight Institute Videoconference, November 18, 2009
  • Ethical Issues in Offshore Tax Evasion: UBS and Beyond, The Center for Ethics and Public Service, University of Miami School of Law, November 4, 2009
  • Offshore Compliance Initiative, ABA Income & Transfer Tax Planning Committee, International Tax Planning Committee Conference Call, June 25, 2009
  • Flagship Tax Investigations - UBS, Credit Suisse, HSBC and LGT Bank: An Analysis & Update, 7th annual Offshore Alert 2009 Conference, April 28, 2009
  • Trusts and Confidentiality: The End of the Banking Secrecy?, ABA International Section, April 17, 2009
  • Pre-Immigration Planning and Ethical Issues in Representing the Foreign Individual, New York University Summer Institute in Taxation, July 14, 2008
  • New Return Preparer Rules - The Standards, The Penalties, Northern Trust Legal Series, March 11, 2008
  • International Estate Planning and Compliance: Complex Issues and Practical Solutions for the Practitioner, 10th annual All Children's Hospital Tax, Legal and Financial Planning Seminar, February 13, 2008
  • Forms over Substance: An Overview of International Tax Compliance Requirements, Bnai Brith, November 9, 2007
  • Potpourri of International Tax Compliance Issues and Update on Expatriation, International Income Tax and Estate Planning, Florida Bar, October 12, 2007
  • FBAR - What You Need To Know/Why You Should Care, ABA Section of Taxation and Section of Real Property, Probate & Trust Law -- Joint Fall CLE Meeting, September 28, 2007
  • FBAR - What You Need To Know/Why You Should Care, Florida Bar 2007 Ullman Year In Review, June 30, 2007
  • FBAR - What You Need To Know/Why You Should Care, HK Tax Controversies Seminar, June 15, 2007

Published Articles & Books