diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseServiceTests.cs b/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseServiceTests.cs
index 0a985e3..a927cfa 100644
--- a/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseServiceTests.cs
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseServiceTests.cs
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@ public class ExpenseServiceTests
         return new ExpenseService(db, http.Object, fs);
     }
 
+    // Builds a service whose principal carries ONLY the "sub" claim (no NameIdentifier),
+    // mirroring the real JWT (NameClaimType="sub", MapInboundClaims=false).
+    private static ExpenseService SvcWithSubClaim(AppDbContext db, FakeStorage fs, string userId)
+    {
+        var http = new Mock<IHttpContextAccessor>();
+        var ctx  = new DefaultHttpContext { User = new(new ClaimsIdentity(new[] { new Claim("sub", userId) })) };
+        http.Setup(x => x.HttpContext).Returns(ctx);
+        return new ExpenseService(db, http.Object, fs);
+    }
+
     private static CreateExpenseRequest Reimb() => new()
     {
         Type = "StaffReimbursement", MinistryId = 1, CategoryGroupId = 1, SubCategoryId = 1,
@@ -69,6 +79,24 @@ public class ExpenseServiceTests
         ExpenseDate = r.ExpenseDate, Notes = r.Notes,
     };
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Create_Reimbursement_ResolvesUserId_FromSubClaim()
+    {
+        // Regression: the real JWT exposes the user id as "sub", not ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier.
+        // SubmittedBy must be the sub value (not "system"), or the self-ownership guard breaks.
+        var db = BuildDb("ignored");
+        db.Ministries.Add(new Ministry { Id = 1, Name_en = "Worship" });
+        db.ExpenseCategoryGroups.Add(new ExpenseCategoryGroup { Id = 1, Name_en = "Equipment" });
+        db.ExpenseSubCategories.Add(new ExpenseSubCategory { Id = 1, GroupId = 1, Name_en = "Purchase" });
+        await db.SaveChangesAsync();
+        var svc = SvcWithSubClaim(db, new FakeStorage(), "user-guid-123");
+
+        var id = await svc.CreateAsync(Reimb(), isFinance: false);
+
+        var e = await db.Expenses.FindAsync(id);
+        Assert.Equal("user-guid-123", e!.SubmittedBy);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task Create_Vendor_AsFinance_IsImmediatelyPaid()
     {
diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API/Controllers/ExpensesController.cs b/API/ROLAC.API/Controllers/ExpensesController.cs
index 93c7bc7..b0107c6 100644
--- a/API/ROLAC.API/Controllers/ExpensesController.cs
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API/Controllers/ExpensesController.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System.Security.Claims;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
 using ROLAC.API.DTOs.Expense;
@@ -16,6 +17,10 @@ public class ExpensesController : ControllerBase
     private bool IsFinance() => User.IsInRole("finance") || User.IsInRole("super_admin");
     private bool CanViewAll() => IsFinance() || User.IsInRole("pastor");
 
+    // User id lives in the "sub" claim (NameClaimType="sub"); NameIdentifier is absent at runtime.
+    private string CurrentUserId() =>
+        User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier) ?? User.FindFirstValue("sub") ?? "";
+
     [HttpGet]
     public async Task<IActionResult> GetPaged(
         [FromQuery] int page = 1, [FromQuery] int pageSize = 20, [FromQuery] string? search = null,
@@ -29,8 +34,7 @@ public class ExpensesController : ControllerBase
     [HttpGet("mine")]
     public async Task<IActionResult> GetMine([FromQuery] string? status = null, [FromQuery] int page = 1, [FromQuery] int pageSize = 20)
     {
-        var uid = User.FindFirst(System.Security.Claims.ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)!.Value;
-        return Ok(await _svc.GetMineAsync(uid, status, page, pageSize));
+        return Ok(await _svc.GetMineAsync(CurrentUserId(), status, page, pageSize));
     }
 
     [HttpGet("{id:int}")]
@@ -38,8 +42,7 @@ public class ExpensesController : ControllerBase
     {
         var dto = await _svc.GetByIdAsync(id);
         if (dto is null) return NotFound();
-        var uid = User.FindFirst(System.Security.Claims.ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)!.Value;
-        if (!CanViewAll() && dto.SubmittedBy != uid) return Forbid();
+        if (!CanViewAll() && dto.SubmittedBy != CurrentUserId()) return Forbid();
         return Ok(dto);
     }
 
diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseService.cs b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseService.cs
index dac185d..769e8e4 100644
--- a/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseService.cs
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseService.cs
@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@ public class ExpenseService : IExpenseService
     public ExpenseService(AppDbContext db, IHttpContextAccessor http, IFileStorage storage)
     { _db = db; _http = http; _storage = storage; }
 
+    // The JWT carries the user id in the "sub" claim (NameClaimType="sub", MapInboundClaims=false),
+    // so ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier is absent at runtime. Check NameIdentifier first (unit tests set it),
+    // then fall back to "sub" (real tokens). Required for the self-ownership guard to work in production.
     private string CurrentUserId =>
-        _http.HttpContext?.User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier) ?? "system";
+        _http.HttpContext?.User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)
+        ?? _http.HttpContext?.User.FindFirstValue("sub")
+        ?? "system";
 
     public async Task<PagedResult<ExpenseListItemDto>> GetPagedAsync(
         int page, int pageSize, string? search, int? ministryId,
diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API/Services/MonthlyStatementService.cs b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/MonthlyStatementService.cs
index 222b8a8..4ba1669 100644
--- a/API/ROLAC.API/Services/MonthlyStatementService.cs
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/MonthlyStatementService.cs
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ public class MonthlyStatementService : IMonthlyStatementService
     private readonly IHttpContextAccessor _http;
     public MonthlyStatementService(AppDbContext db, IHttpContextAccessor http) { _db = db; _http = http; }
 
+    // See ExpenseService: the user id lives in the "sub" claim at runtime; NameIdentifier is for tests.
     private string CurrentUserId =>
-        _http.HttpContext?.User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier) ?? "system";
+        _http.HttpContext?.User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)
+        ?? _http.HttpContext?.User.FindFirstValue("sub")
+        ?? "system";
 
     public async Task<List<MonthlyStatementDto>> GetAllAsync(int? year)
     {