diff --git a/app/composables/useMemberStatus.js b/app/composables/useMemberStatus.js
index 6c4acb9..48ec762 100644
--- a/app/composables/useMemberStatus.js
+++ b/app/composables/useMemberStatus.js
@@ -12,16 +12,16 @@ export const MEMBER_STATUSES = {
 
 export const MEMBER_STATUS_CONFIG = {
   pending_payment: {
-    label: "Payment Pending",
+    label: "Setting up payment",
     color: "orange",
     bgColor: "bg-orange-500/10",
     borderColor: "border-orange-500/30",
     textColor: "text-orange-300",
     icon: "heroicons:exclamation-triangle",
     severity: "warning",
-    canRSVP: false,
+    canRSVP: true,
     canAccessMembers: true,
-    canPeerSupport: false,
+    canPeerSupport: true,
   },
   active: {
     label: "Active Member",
@@ -126,24 +126,21 @@ export const useMemberStatus = () => {
   // Get banner message based on status
   const getBannerMessage = () => {
     if (isPendingPayment.value) {
-      return "Your membership is pending payment. Please complete your payment to unlock full features.";
+      return "Your payment setup isn't finished yet. Your membership and access aren't affected — finish whenever you're ready, or reach out if there's a snag.";
     }
     if (isSuspended.value) {
-      return "Your membership has been suspended. Please contact support to reactivate your account.";
+      return "Your account is paused while we work through a community issue. We'll be in touch.";
     }
     if (isCancelled.value) {
-      return "Your membership has been cancelled. Would you like to reactivate?";
+      return "Your account is closed. Reach out if you'd like to come back.";
     }
     return null;
   };
 
   // Get RSVP restriction message
   const getRSVPMessage = () => {
-    if (isPendingPayment.value) {
-      return "Complete your payment to register for events";
-    }
     if (isSuspended.value || isCancelled.value) {
-      return "Your membership status prevents RSVP. Please reactivate your account.";
+      return "Your account isn't active right now. Reach out if you have questions.";
     }
     return null;
   };
diff --git a/app/pages/member/account.vue b/app/pages/member/account.vue
index c69f561..da9f1fd 100644
--- a/app/pages/member/account.vue
+++ b/app/pages/member/account.vue
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
                     <span
                       class="status-dot"
                       :class="memberData.status || 'active'"
-                    ></span>
+                    />
                     <span>{{
                       formatStatus(memberData.status || "active")
                     }}</span>
@@ -93,26 +93,26 @@
                 <div class="field">
                   <label>New email address</label>
                   <input
-                    type="email"
                     v-model="newEmail"
+                    type="email"
                     placeholder="you@example.com"
+                    autofocus
                     @keydown.enter="handleUpdateEmail"
                     @keydown.escape="cancelEmailEdit"
-                    autofocus
-                  />
+                  >
                 </div>
                 <div class="email-edit-actions">
                   <button
                     class="btn btn-primary"
-                    @click="handleUpdateEmail"
                     :disabled="isUpdatingEmail || !newEmail.trim()"
+                    @click="handleUpdateEmail"
                   >
                     {{ isUpdatingEmail ? "Saving…" : "Save" }}
                   </button>
                   <button
                     class="btn"
-                    @click="cancelEmailEdit"
                     :disabled="isUpdatingEmail"
+                    @click="cancelEmailEdit"
                   >
                     Cancel
                   </button>
@@ -128,9 +128,12 @@
               <div class="section-label danger">Danger Zone</div>
               <div class="danger-zone">
                 <p>
-                  Cancelling your membership will immediately revoke access to
-                  member-only resources, events, and the Slack workspace.
-                  <strong>This action cannot be easily undone.</strong>
+                  Cancelling closes your account and ends access to member-only
+                  spaces, including Slack. If you're cancelling because of a
+                  money issue, the
+                  <NuxtLink to="/community-guidelines">Solidarity Fund</NuxtLink>
+                  and the $0 tier are always available — reach out before you
+                  go.
                 </p>
                 <div v-if="showCancelConfirm" class="cancel-confirm">
                   <p class="cancel-confirm-prompt">
@@ -139,8 +142,8 @@
                   <div class="cancel-confirm-actions">
                     <button
                       class="btn btn-danger"
-                      @click="confirmCancelMembership"
                       :disabled="isCancelling"
+                      @click="confirmCancelMembership"
                     >
                       {{ isCancelling ? "Cancelling…" : "Yes, Cancel" }}
                     </button>
@@ -152,8 +155,8 @@
                 <button
                   v-else
                   class="btn btn-danger"
-                  @click="handleCancelMembership"
                   :disabled="isCancelling"
+                  @click="handleCancelMembership"
                 >
                   Cancel Membership
                 </button>
@@ -172,11 +175,11 @@
               </div>
               <button
                 class="btn btn-primary btn-section"
-                @click="handleUpdateTier"
                 :disabled="
                   selectedTier === Number(memberData.contributionTier || 0) ||
                   isUpdating
                 "
+                @click="handleUpdateTier"
               >
                 {{ isUpdating ? "Updating…" : "Update Contribution" }}
               </button>
@@ -192,8 +195,8 @@
               />
               <button
                 class="btn btn-primary btn-section"
-                @click="handleUpdateCircle"
                 :disabled="selectedCircle === memberData.circle || isUpdating"
+                @click="handleUpdateCircle"
               >
                 {{ isUpdating ? "Updating…" : "Update Circle" }}
               </button>
@@ -254,9 +257,9 @@ const circleOptions = [
 
 const STATUS_LABELS = {
   active: "Active",
-  pending_payment: "Pending",
-  suspended: "Suspended",
-  cancelled: "Cancelled",
+  pending_payment: "Setting up payment",
+  suspended: "Paused",
+  cancelled: "Closed",
 };
 
 const formatStatus = (s) => STATUS_LABELS[s] || s;
diff --git a/tests/client/composables/useMemberStatus.test.js b/tests/client/composables/useMemberStatus.test.js
index 5bd1094..3e8b228 100644
--- a/tests/client/composables/useMemberStatus.test.js
+++ b/tests/client/composables/useMemberStatus.test.js
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ describe("MEMBER_STATUS_CONFIG", () => {
     expect(cfg.canPeerSupport).toBe(true);
   });
 
-  it("pending_payment can access members but not RSVP or peer support", () => {
+  it("pending_payment has full permissions (payment is decoupled from access)", () => {
     const cfg = MEMBER_STATUS_CONFIG.pending_payment;
-    expect(cfg.canRSVP).toBe(false);
+    expect(cfg.canRSVP).toBe(true);
     expect(cfg.canAccessMembers).toBe(true);
-    expect(cfg.canPeerSupport).toBe(false);
+    expect(cfg.canPeerSupport).toBe(true);
   });
 
   it("suspended has all permissions false", () => {
@@ -122,10 +122,10 @@ describe("useMemberStatus composable", () => {
       expect(canRSVP.value).toBe(true);
     });
 
-    it("canRSVP is false when pending_payment", () => {
+    it("canRSVP is true when pending_payment (decoupled from payment)", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "pending_payment" };
       const { canRSVP } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(canRSVP.value).toBe(false);
+      expect(canRSVP.value).toBe(true);
     });
 
     it("canAccessMembers is true for active and pending_payment", () => {
@@ -182,22 +182,22 @@ describe("useMemberStatus composable", () => {
   });
 
   describe("getBannerMessage", () => {
-    it("returns payment message for pending_payment", () => {
+    it("returns payment-setup message for pending_payment", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "pending_payment" };
       const { getBannerMessage } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(getBannerMessage()).toContain("pending payment");
+      expect(getBannerMessage()).toContain("payment setup");
     });
 
-    it("returns suspended message for suspended", () => {
+    it("returns paused message for suspended", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "suspended" };
       const { getBannerMessage } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(getBannerMessage()).toContain("suspended");
+      expect(getBannerMessage()).toContain("paused");
     });
 
-    it("returns cancelled message for cancelled", () => {
+    it("returns closed message for cancelled", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "cancelled" };
       const { getBannerMessage } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(getBannerMessage()).toContain("cancelled");
+      expect(getBannerMessage()).toContain("closed");
     });
 
     it("returns null for active", () => {
@@ -208,22 +208,22 @@ describe("useMemberStatus composable", () => {
   });
 
   describe("getRSVPMessage", () => {
-    it("returns payment message for pending_payment", () => {
+    it("returns null for pending_payment (decoupled from RSVP)", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "pending_payment" };
       const { getRSVPMessage } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(getRSVPMessage()).toContain("payment");
+      expect(getRSVPMessage()).toBeNull();
     });
 
-    it("returns restriction message for suspended", () => {
+    it("returns inactive-account message for suspended", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "suspended" };
       const { getRSVPMessage } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(getRSVPMessage()).toContain("reactivate");
+      expect(getRSVPMessage()).toContain("isn't active");
     });
 
-    it("returns restriction message for cancelled", () => {
+    it("returns inactive-account message for cancelled", () => {
       memberData.value = { status: "cancelled" };
       const { getRSVPMessage } = useMemberStatus();
-      expect(getRSVPMessage()).toContain("reactivate");
+      expect(getRSVPMessage()).toContain("isn't active");
     });
 
     it("returns null for active", () => {