About Rubric Financial
An accounting firm built on experience and trust.
Rubric Financial brings partner-led, CPA-reviewed accounting and finance services to small businesses and individuals. The same partner every conversation. A licensed CPA on every filing. (Our sister practice for venture-backed startups operates as StartupCFO.AI.)
Our Approach
We believe accounting should give business owners clarity, not more spreadsheets. Every engagement is partner-led, Harry, Aparna, Nirmala, Nitasha, or Girija runs your relationship from day one, with a licensed CPA reviewing every filing, and priced transparently so you know what you're paying for.
Founded in 2023 and headquartered in San Francisco, we combine traditional accounting craft with modern tooling and software to deliver accurate, timely, and useful financial information. The result: clean books, clean filings, and a finance partner who actually understands your business.
What We Believe
Every business owner deserves a finance team that picks up the phone, returns email within one business day, and explains the numbers in plain English.
How We Work
Partner-led engagements with CPA review. Fixed monthly fees. Modern cloud-based stack. Proactive communication and accurate monthly close, every month.
Who We Serve
Small businesses and individuals, service businesses, professional practices, and high-net-worth individuals. Building a venture-scale startup? See StartupCFO.AI, our sister practice for venture-backed startups.
The People You'll Work With
Same partner every conversation. Not a rotating team.
Engagements are led directly by a partner. The same person on your kickoff call signs your filings, runs your close meeting, and picks up the phone in July.
Harry Prabandham
Founder & Partner
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Founder of Rubric Financial. Wharton MBA + MS in Computer Science. Decades of experience across finance and technology.
Aparna Devalla, CPA
Partner, Tax & Accounting
Licensed CPA. Decades of experience in U.S. taxation, accounting, and banking. Leads the tax and accounting practice at Rubric Financial.
Nirmala Murugesan, CA, CPA
Partner, Accounting
Partner leading Rubric Financial's accounting practice. CA and CPA with 20+ years across U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and cross-border entity accounting in India and the U.S.
Nitasha Ahuja, EA
Partner, Tax Resolution & IRS Representation
Georgetown University Law Center
Enrolled Agent with 15+ years inside the IRS. MSL in Taxation from Georgetown Law. Leads IRS representation and tax resolution at Rubric Financial.
Girija Srinivasan, CA
Partner, Cross-Border Tax & Corporate FP&A
Chartered Accountant with 15+ years in finance leadership, ERP, and cross-border compliance. Leads U.S.-India cross-border tax and corporate FP&A at Rubric Financial.
What you can count on
Three commitments, written down.
CPA-signed accuracy guarantee
If a return signed by Rubric Financial triggers a math-error notice, we fix it and pay the resulting IRS penalty, subject to your engagement letter's terms. CPA review on every filing.
One-business-day response
Your partner replies within one business day, and there's no per-question fee. Year-round access, not just tax season.
Fee-only, no kickbacks
We don't sell insurance, annuities, or investment products. Our only revenue is your monthly fee. No conflicts.
Frequently Asked
Questions about the firm
- Who leads Rubric Financial?
- Harry Prabandham, who holds an MBA from Wharton and an MS in Computer Science and leads fractional CFO and consulting work; Aparna Devalla, CPA, who leads the tax practice; Nirmala Murugesan, CA, CPA, who leads the accounting practice; Nitasha Ahuja, EA, a former IRS professional who leads IRS representation and tax resolution; and Girija Srinivasan, CA, who leads U.S.–India cross-border tax and corporate FP&A. One of them runs your relationship from day one.
- Is a licensed CPA involved in my filings?
- Yes, on every filing. Aparna Devalla, CPA reviews and signs every tax filing the firm prepares. Accounting work is led by Nirmala Murugesan, who is both a CPA and a Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years of experience across U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and cross-border entity accounting.
- Do you only work with San Francisco clients?
- No. We are headquartered at 2 Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, and engagements run remotely with small businesses and individuals across the United States. The working model, partner-led with CPA review, fixed monthly fees, and a modern cloud-based stack, is the same wherever you are located.
- How is Rubric Financial related to StartupCFO.AI?
- StartupCFO.AI is our sister practice for venture-scale startups, run by the same partners. Rubric Financial serves small businesses and individuals; StartupCFO.AI serves venture-backed startups with startup-specific workflows. If you are not sure which practice fits, tell us about your business and we will point you to the right one.
Let's talk about your business.
A 30-minute conversation is the best way to see if we're a fit.