Irvin, Abrahamson & Company

About Irvin, Abrahamson & Company

Irvin, Abrahamson & Company is a small accounting and financial planning firm on Cambridge Avenue, a short walk from California Avenue in Palo Alto. Its office is at 438 Cambridge Avenue, Suite 100. The phone number is 650-856-6161. The firm's email address uses a different domain from its website, stayrich.com, which is worth knowing so a reply does not end up in your spam folder.

The firm has been part of the local business scene for a long time, though its website is not consistent on exactly how long. One page says it has served Palo Alto and the local community for over 55 years. Another says it has served Silicon Valley for over 35 years. Either way, this is an established local practice. It describes itself as small enough to know clients on a personal level and says planning is the key ingredient to financial success for both businesses and individuals.

This page describes the firm's services only. It is not tax, investment or financial advice.

Services

The firm's services page names five planning areas:

• Financial planning
• Retirement planning
• Estate planning
• Tax planning
• Charitable giving

Alongside the planning work, the firm offers traditional CPA services: accounting, tax return preparation and small business consulting. Having tax preparation and financial planning in one office means a client can have the same people prepare a return and talk through retirement or college savings, rather than splitting that work between an accountant and a separate planner.

If estate planning is on your list, ask how the firm works alongside your attorney, who will draft any will or trust.

Who the firm serves

Irvin, Abrahamson & Company groups its clients into four kinds:

• Individuals who are new to investing, established in a career or getting close to retirement.
• Families saving for children's education. The firm mentions 529 plans and research into financial aid options and grants.
• Retirees moving from a paycheck to living on their savings.
• Business owners, with help on plans for key employees and executives. The firm also covers succession and exit planning when it is time to step away.

The welcome text on the website adds that the firm works with both new and established businesses.

The team

The website lists Lamberto D. Torres, CPA, CFP, as partner. Other listed staff include Yu-Chi Peng-Lee, EA, CPA, CFP; Mary Lau Leung, CPA; staff accountants Chris Torres and Ken Bhandary; and office manager Michelle Chan. The firm lists memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California Society of CPAs and AccountantsWorld.

You can check a CPA's license status through the California Board of Accountancy before you sign an engagement letter.

Working with the firm

The firm describes a four-step planning process. It starts with an introductory meeting to learn your goals, priorities and concerns and to decide whether working together makes sense. Next comes a deeper look at your situation and a first draft of a plan. The third step is a detailed plan the firm calls an easy-to-follow roadmap. The last is ongoing support, with the plan adjusted as your life and goals change.

The website does not publish fees or office hours, so call or email to set up a first meeting. Ask how the firm charges for tax preparation and how it charges for planning work. If the firm will be involved with your investments, ask how it is paid for that work and get the answer in writing.

Before a first tax meeting, gather last year's return and the forms that have arrived for the current year. For a planning meeting, a simple list of accounts, debts and goals is a good start.

Visiting the office

The office is close to the shops, cafes and Sunday farmers market of the California Avenue district. The California Avenue Caltrain station is a short walk away. Drivers will find a mix of street parking and city lots nearby with posted time limits. If you are new to town and sorting out finances after a move, our living in Palo Alto guide covers schools, housing and services. Business owners may also find our guide to starting a business in Palo Alto useful.

Location and getting there

Irvin, Abrahamson & Company is at 438 Cambridge Avenue, Suite 100, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area of Palo Alto. Our California Avenue guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 0.3 miles away. That is roughly a 6 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

What is nearby

• AJ Tutoring, school or studio, under 0.1 mi
• Endodontic Associates of Palo Alto, practice, under 0.1 mi
• Social Salon, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Country Sun, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• Backyard Brew, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.3 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.3 mi
• Peers Park, 0.3 mi

Other professional services nearby: Brewer Offord & Pedersen LLP (under 0.1 mi); Lee Aldinger Insurance (under 0.1 mi); Candice Kistner - State Farm (0.2 mi); WilmerHale (0.2 mi). Browse the full professional services list.

Before you go

• Most firms meet by appointment only. Call or email before visiting the office.
• Ask about fees, billing and what is included before you sign an engagement letter.
• Check professional licenses through the relevant California board, such as the State Bar or the Department of Real Estate.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Official website; Our firm; Who we serve; Contact page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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