diff --git a/client/src/__tests__/PaycheckView.test.jsx b/client/src/__tests__/PaycheckView.test.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e005fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/__tests__/PaycheckView.test.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { render, screen, waitFor, act } from '@testing-library/react';
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router-dom';
+import PaycheckView, { ordinal, formatCurrency, formatPayDate } from '../pages/PaycheckView.jsx';
+
+// ─── Pure function tests ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('ordinal', () => {
+  it('formats 1st, 2nd, 3rd', () => {
+    expect(ordinal(1)).toBe('1st');
+    expect(ordinal(2)).toBe('2nd');
+    expect(ordinal(3)).toBe('3rd');
+    expect(ordinal(4)).toBe('4th');
+    expect(ordinal(11)).toBe('11th');
+    expect(ordinal(12)).toBe('12th');
+    expect(ordinal(13)).toBe('13th');
+    expect(ordinal(21)).toBe('21st');
+    expect(ordinal(22)).toBe('22nd');
+    expect(ordinal(31)).toBe('31st');
+  });
+});
+
+describe('formatCurrency', () => {
+  it('formats numbers as USD', () => {
+    expect(formatCurrency(1500)).toBe('$1,500.00');
+    expect(formatCurrency(0)).toBe('$0.00');
+    expect(formatCurrency(99.9)).toBe('$99.90');
+    expect(formatCurrency('150.5')).toBe('$150.50');
+    expect(formatCurrency(null)).toBe('$0.00');
+    expect(formatCurrency(undefined)).toBe('$0.00');
+  });
+});
+
+describe('formatPayDate', () => {
+  it('formats YYYY-MM-DD to readable date', () => {
+    expect(formatPayDate('2026-03-01')).toBe('March 1, 2026');
+    expect(formatPayDate('2026-01-15')).toBe('January 15, 2026');
+    expect(formatPayDate('2025-12-31')).toBe('December 31, 2025');
+  });
+});
+
+// ─── Component helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const virtualPaycheck = (num) => ({
+  id: null,
+  period_year: 2026,
+  period_month: 3,
+  paycheck_number: num,
+  pay_date: `2026-03-${num === 1 ? '01' : '15'}`,
+  gross: 3000,
+  net: 2400,
+  bills: [],
+  one_time_expenses: [],
+  financing: [],
+});
+
+const savedPaycheck = (num) => ({
+  ...virtualPaycheck(num),
+  id: num,
+});
+
+function mockFetch(paychecks, categories = []) {
+  return vi.fn((url) => {
+    if (url.includes('/api/paychecks')) {
+      return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve(paychecks) });
+    }
+    if (url.includes('/api/expense-categories')) {
+      return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve(categories) });
+    }
+    if (url.includes('/api/actuals')) {
+      return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve([]) });
+    }
+    return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({}) });
+  });
+}
+
+function renderView() {
+  return render(
+    <MemoryRouter>
+      <PaycheckView />
+    </MemoryRouter>
+  );
+}
+
+// ─── PaycheckView rendering tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('PaycheckView', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    // Fake only Date (not setTimeout/setInterval) so RTL's waitFor keeps working
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['Date'], now: new Date('2026-03-19') });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('shows current month and year in nav', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([virtualPaycheck(1), virtualPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('March 2026')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('shows loading state then renders paychecks', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('Loading…')).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText('Paycheck 1')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByText('Paycheck 2')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('shows virtual preview banner for virtual paychecks', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([virtualPaycheck(1), virtualPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText(/Previewing from current settings/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('does not show preview banner for saved paychecks', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByText(/Previewing from current settings/)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('shows error state on fetch failure', async () => {
+    global.fetch = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('Network error'));
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText(/Error: Network error/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('navigates to previous month', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => screen.getByText('March 2026'));
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: '←' }));
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('February 2026')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('navigates to next month', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => screen.getByText('March 2026'));
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: '→' }));
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('April 2026')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('wraps from January to December on prev', async () => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['Date'], now: new Date('2026-01-15') });
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => screen.getByText('January 2026'));
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: '←' }));
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('December 2025')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('renders bills in paycheck columns', async () => {
+    const pc1 = {
+      ...savedPaycheck(1),
+      bills: [
+        { paycheck_bill_id: 10, bill_id: 1, name: 'Electric', amount: 150, effective_amount: 150, due_day: 5, category: 'Utilities', variable_amount: false, paid: false, paid_at: null, amount_override: null },
+      ],
+    };
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([pc1, savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText('Electric')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByText('$150.00')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByText('due 5th')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('shows remaining balance', async () => {
+    const pc1 = {
+      ...savedPaycheck(1),
+      net: 2400,
+      bills: [
+        { paycheck_bill_id: 10, bill_id: 1, name: 'Electric', amount: 150, effective_amount: 150, due_day: 5, category: 'Utilities', variable_amount: false, paid: false, paid_at: null, amount_override: null },
+      ],
+      one_time_expenses: [],
+      financing: [],
+    };
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([pc1, savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      // Remaining = 2400 - 150 = 2250
+      expect(screen.getAllByText('$2,250.00')[0]).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('shows empty state when no bills', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      // Two paycheck columns, each with "(none)" for bills
+      expect(screen.getAllByText('(none)').length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('shows gross and net amounts', async () => {
+    global.fetch = mockFetch([savedPaycheck(1), savedPaycheck(2)]);
+
+    renderView();
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getAllByText('$3,000.00').length).toBeGreaterThan(0); // gross
+      expect(screen.getAllByText('$2,400.00').length).toBeGreaterThan(0); // net
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/client/src/pages/PaycheckView.jsx b/client/src/pages/PaycheckView.jsx
index b6d1e3f..ef0e872 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/PaycheckView.jsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/PaycheckView.jsx
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ function todayISO() {
   return new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10);
 }
 
+export { ordinal, formatCurrency, formatPayDate };
+
 // ─── PaycheckColumn ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 function PaycheckColumn({ paycheck, onBillPaidToggle, categories, onOtePaidToggle, onOteDelete, onOteAdd, onGenerate, onAmountSave, onBillAmountSave, onFinancingPaidToggle }) {