diff --git a/db/migrations/005_performance_indexes.sql b/db/migrations/005_performance_indexes.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76f5afd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrations/005_performance_indexes.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-- Performance indexes for high-traffic query patterns
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_paychecks_period ON paychecks(period_year, period_month);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_paycheck_bills_paycheck_id ON paycheck_bills(paycheck_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_actuals_paycheck_id ON actuals(paycheck_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_one_time_expenses_paycheck_id ON one_time_expenses(paycheck_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_financing_payments_plan_id ON financing_payments(plan_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_financing_plans_active ON financing_plans(active);
diff --git a/scripts/perf-benchmark.js b/scripts/perf-benchmark.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..323f24a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/perf-benchmark.js
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+'use strict';
+
+const BASE_URL = process.env.BENCHMARK_URL || 'http://localhost:3001';
+const ITERATIONS = 5;
+const MEAN_THRESHOLD_MS = parseInt(process.env.SLOW_THRESHOLD_MS || '500', 10);
+
+const ENDPOINTS = [
+  { label: 'GET /api/paychecks', path: `/api/paychecks?year=${new Date().getFullYear()}&month=${new Date().getMonth() + 1}` },
+  { label: 'GET /api/financing', path: '/api/financing' },
+  { label: 'GET /api/summary/annual', path: `/api/summary/annual?year=${new Date().getFullYear()}` },
+];
+
+async function measureEndpoint(endpoint) {
+  const times = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < ITERATIONS; i++) {
+    const start = Date.now();
+    const res = await fetch(`${BASE_URL}${endpoint.path}`);
+    const duration = Date.now() - start;
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      console.warn(`  [warn] ${endpoint.label} returned HTTP ${res.status}`);
+    }
+    times.push(duration);
+  }
+  const min = Math.min(...times);
+  const max = Math.max(...times);
+  const mean = Math.round(times.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0) / times.length);
+  return { min, mean, max };
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  console.log(`Benchmarking ${BASE_URL} (${ITERATIONS} iterations each, threshold ${MEAN_THRESHOLD_MS}ms)\n`);
+
+  let failed = false;
+
+  for (const endpoint of ENDPOINTS) {
+    let stats;
+    try {
+      stats = await measureEndpoint(endpoint);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(`  [error] ${endpoint.label}: ${err.message}`);
+      failed = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const flag = stats.mean >= MEAN_THRESHOLD_MS ? ' *** SLOW ***' : '';
+    console.log(`${endpoint.label}`);
+    console.log(`  min=${stats.min}ms  mean=${stats.mean}ms  max=${stats.max}ms${flag}`);
+
+    if (stats.mean >= MEAN_THRESHOLD_MS) {
+      failed = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  console.log('');
+  if (failed) {
+    console.error('FAIL: one or more endpoints exceeded the threshold or errored.');
+    process.exit(1);
+  } else {
+    console.log('PASS: all endpoints within threshold.');
+  }
+})();
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index e349ea3..2bee861 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
     "start": "node src/index.js",
     "dev": "nodemon src/index.js",
     "test": "vitest run",
-    "test:watch": "vitest"
+    "test:watch": "vitest",
+    "perf": "node ../scripts/perf-benchmark.js"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
diff --git a/server/src/app.js b/server/src/app.js
index 400c551..2deda15 100644
--- a/server/src/app.js
+++ b/server/src/app.js
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ const actualsRouter = require('./routes/actuals');
 const oneTimeExpensesRouter = require('./routes/one-time-expenses');
 const summaryRouter = require('./routes/summary');
 const { router: financingRouter } = require('./routes/financing');
+const timingMiddleware = require('./middleware/timing');
 
 const app = express();
 
 app.use(cors());
 app.use(express.json());
+app.use(timingMiddleware);
 
 // API routes
 app.use('/api', healthRouter);
diff --git a/server/src/middleware/timing.js b/server/src/middleware/timing.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81d8c09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/middleware/timing.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const SLOW_THRESHOLD_MS = 200;
+
+function timingMiddleware(req, res, next) {
+  const start = Date.now();
+
+  res.on('finish', () => {
+    const duration = Date.now() - start;
+    const msg = `${req.method} ${req.path} ${res.statusCode} ${duration}ms`;
+    if (duration >= SLOW_THRESHOLD_MS) {
+      console.warn(`[SLOW] ${msg}`);
+    } else {
+      console.log(`[timing] ${msg}`);
+    }
+  });
+
+  next();
+}
+
+module.exports = timingMiddleware;