diff --git a/app/me/notifications/page.tsx b/app/me/notifications/page.tsx
index 8b7e58fa..59a71019 100644
--- a/app/me/notifications/page.tsx
+++ b/app/me/notifications/page.tsx
@@ -104,10 +104,6 @@ export default function NotificationsPage() {
 
   const { setUnreadCount, clearUnreadCount } = useNotificationStore();
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setUnreadCount(unreadCount);
-  }, [unreadCount, setUnreadCount]);
-
   useNotificationPolling(notificationsHook, {
     interval: 30000,
     enabled: true,
diff --git a/components/app-sidebar.tsx b/components/app-sidebar.tsx
index c4703ddb..d4b3ac94 100644
--- a/components/app-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/components/app-sidebar.tsx
@@ -27,9 +27,10 @@ import {
   SidebarMenuItem,
 } from '@/components/ui/sidebar';
 import Image from 'next/image';
-import Link from 'next/link';
 import { useNotificationStore } from '@/lib/stores/notification-store';
 import { Logo } from './landing-page/navbar';
+import { useNotifications } from '@/hooks/useNotifications';
+import { authClient } from '@/lib/auth-client';
 
 const getNavigationData = (counts?: {
   participating?: number;
@@ -115,8 +116,8 @@ const getNavigationData = (counts?: {
       url: '/me/notifications',
       icon: IconBell,
       badge:
-        counts?.unreadNotifications && counts.unreadNotifications > 0
-          ? counts.unreadNotifications.toString()
+        (counts?.unreadNotifications ?? 0) > 0
+          ? String(counts?.unreadNotifications)
           : undefined,
     },
   ],
@@ -136,6 +137,12 @@ export function AppSidebar({
   user: UserData;
   counts?: { participating?: number; submissions?: number; projects?: number };
 } & React.ComponentProps<typeof Sidebar>) {
+  const { data: session } = authClient.useSession();
+  const userId = session?.user?.id;
+
+  // Initialize notifications hook to ensure it fetches globally and syncs with store
+  useNotifications({ enabled: !!userId });
+
   const unreadNotifications = useNotificationStore(state => state.unreadCount);
 
   const navigationData = React.useMemo(
diff --git a/components/nav-user.tsx b/components/nav-user.tsx
index edcd65d0..df269f80 100644
--- a/components/nav-user.tsx
+++ b/components/nav-user.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ import {
   useSidebar,
 } from '@/components/ui/sidebar';
 import { Badge } from './ui/badge';
+import Link from 'next/link';
+import { useAuthActions } from '@/hooks/use-auth';
+import { useNotificationStore } from '@/lib/stores/notification-store';
 
 export interface NavUserProps {
   user: {
@@ -37,6 +40,14 @@ export interface NavUserProps {
 
 export const NavUser = ({ user }: NavUserProps): React.ReactElement => {
   const { isMobile } = useSidebar();
+  const { logout } = useAuthActions();
+  const { unreadCount: unreadNotifications, clearUnreadCount } =
+    useNotificationStore();
+
+  const handleLogout = () => {
+    logout();
+    clearUnreadCount();
+  };
 
   return (
     <SidebarMenu>
@@ -68,7 +79,7 @@ export const NavUser = ({ user }: NavUserProps): React.ReactElement => {
             </SidebarMenuButton>
           </DropdownMenuTrigger>
           <DropdownMenuContent
-            className='w-56 rounded-lg'
+            className='bg-background-main-bg/98 w-56 rounded-lg border-white/10 text-white backdrop-blur-xl'
             side={isMobile ? 'bottom' : 'right'}
             align='end'
             sideOffset={4}
@@ -85,10 +96,10 @@ export const NavUser = ({ user }: NavUserProps): React.ReactElement => {
                   </AvatarFallback>
                 </Avatar>
                 <div className='grid flex-1 text-left leading-tight'>
-                  <span className='truncate text-sm font-semibold'>
+                  <span className='truncate text-sm font-semibold text-white'>
                     {user.name}
                   </span>
-                  <span className='text-muted-foreground truncate text-xs'>
+                  <span className='truncate text-xs text-white/60'>
                     {user.email}
                   </span>
                 </div>
@@ -96,22 +107,44 @@ export const NavUser = ({ user }: NavUserProps): React.ReactElement => {
             </DropdownMenuLabel>
             <DropdownMenuSeparator />
             <DropdownMenuGroup>
-              <DropdownMenuItem className='cursor-pointer gap-2'>
-                <IconUserCircle className='h-4 w-4' />
-                <span>Account Settings</span>
+              <DropdownMenuItem asChild>
+                <Link
+                  href='/me/settings'
+                  className='flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-2 text-white/80 hover:bg-white/5 hover:text-white focus:bg-white/5 focus:text-white'
+                >
+                  <IconUserCircle className='h-4 w-4' />
+                  <span>Account Settings</span>
+                </Link>
               </DropdownMenuItem>
-              <DropdownMenuItem className='cursor-pointer gap-2'>
-                <IconCreditCard className='h-4 w-4' />
-                <span>Billing</span>
+              <DropdownMenuItem asChild>
+                <Link
+                  href='/coming-soon'
+                  className='flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-2 text-white/80 hover:bg-white/5 hover:text-white focus:bg-white/5 focus:text-white'
+                >
+                  <IconCreditCard className='h-4 w-4' />
+                  <span>Billing</span>
+                </Link>
               </DropdownMenuItem>
-              <DropdownMenuItem className='cursor-pointer gap-2'>
-                <IconBell className='h-4 w-4' />
-                <span>Notifications</span>
-                <Badge className='ml-auto h-5 min-w-5 rounded-full'>3</Badge>
+              <DropdownMenuItem asChild>
+                <Link
+                  href='/me/notifications'
+                  className='flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-2 text-white/80 hover:bg-white/5 hover:text-white focus:bg-white/5 focus:text-white'
+                >
+                  <IconBell className='h-4 w-4' />
+                  <span>Notifications</span>
+                  {unreadNotifications > 0 && (
+                    <Badge className='ml-auto flex h-5 min-w-5 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-[#a7f950] text-xs font-bold text-black'>
+                      {unreadNotifications}
+                    </Badge>
+                  )}
+                </Link>
               </DropdownMenuItem>
             </DropdownMenuGroup>
-            <DropdownMenuSeparator />
-            <DropdownMenuItem className='text-destructive focus:text-destructive cursor-pointer gap-2'>
+            <DropdownMenuSeparator className='bg-white/10' />
+            <DropdownMenuItem
+              className='text-destructive focus:text-destructive cursor-pointer gap-2 hover:bg-red-500/10'
+              onClick={handleLogout}
+            >
               <IconLogout className='h-4 w-4' />
               <span>Log out</span>
             </DropdownMenuItem>
diff --git a/components/wallet/FamilyWalletDrawer.tsx b/components/wallet/FamilyWalletDrawer.tsx
index e9e7cb67..9f49efac 100644
--- a/components/wallet/FamilyWalletDrawer.tsx
+++ b/components/wallet/FamilyWalletDrawer.tsx
@@ -212,6 +212,10 @@ export function FamilyWalletDrawer({
     setValidateResult('idle');
     try {
       const result = await validateSendDestination(dest, currency);
+
+      // Protect against stale responses if the user has changed the destination
+      if (sendDestination.trim() !== dest) return;
+
       if (result.valid) {
         setValidateResult('valid');
         setValidateError('');
@@ -222,15 +226,45 @@ export function FamilyWalletDrawer({
         );
       }
     } catch (err: unknown) {
+      // Protect against stale responses
+      if (sendDestination.trim() !== dest) return;
+
       const { message, details } = getErrorDisplay(err);
       setValidateResult('invalid');
       setValidateError(message);
       setValidateErrorDetails(details);
     } finally {
-      setValidateLoading(false);
+      // We still want to clear loading if it's the latest call
+      if (sendDestination.trim() === dest) {
+        setValidateLoading(false);
+      }
     }
   }, [sendDestination, sendCurrency, getErrorDisplay]);
 
+  // Auto-validate destination address
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const trimmedDest = sendDestination.trim();
+
+    // Reset state if empty
+    if (!trimmedDest) {
+      setValidateResult('idle');
+      setValidateError('');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Immediate trigger if 56 chars
+    if (trimmedDest.length === 56) {
+      handleValidateDestination();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      handleValidateDestination();
+    }, 500);
+
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [sendDestination, sendCurrency, handleValidateDestination]);
+
   const handleSendSubmit = useCallback(async () => {
     const dest = sendDestination.trim();
     const currency = sendCurrency || 'XLM';
@@ -833,37 +867,26 @@ export function FamilyWalletDrawer({
                         <Label htmlFor='send-destination'>
                           Destination (Stellar G...)
                         </Label>
-                        <div className='flex gap-2'>
+                        <div className='relative'>
                           <Input
                             id='send-destination'
                             placeholder='GABCD...'
                             value={sendDestination}
                             onChange={e => {
                               setSendDestination(e.target.value);
-                              setValidateResult('idle');
-                              setValidateError('');
                             }}
-                            className='font-mono text-sm'
+                            className='pr-10 font-mono text-sm'
                           />
-                          <Button
-                            type='button'
-                            variant='outline'
-                            size='sm'
-                            onClick={handleValidateDestination}
-                            disabled={
-                              validateLoading ||
-                              !sendDestination.trim() ||
-                              !sendCurrency
-                            }
-                          >
+                          <div className='absolute top-1/2 right-3 -translate-y-1/2'>
                             {validateLoading ? (
-                              <Loader2 className='h-4 w-4 animate-spin' />
+                              <Loader2 className='text-muted-foreground h-4 w-4 animate-spin' />
                             ) : validateResult === 'valid' ? (
                               <CheckCircle className='h-4 w-4 text-green-600' />
-                            ) : (
-                              'Validate'
-                            )}
-                          </Button>
+                            ) : validateResult === 'invalid' &&
+                              sendDestination.trim().length >= 56 ? (
+                              <AlertCircle className='text-destructive h-4 w-4' />
+                            ) : null}
+                          </div>
                         </div>
                         {validateResult === 'invalid' && validateError && (
                           <Alert variant='destructive' className='mt-2'>
diff --git a/hooks/useNotifications.ts b/hooks/useNotifications.ts
index 8493ad1f..953a504a 100644
--- a/hooks/useNotifications.ts
+++ b/hooks/useNotifications.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ import { useSocket } from './useSocket';
 import { getNotifications } from '@/lib/api/notifications';
 import { Notification } from '@/types/notifications';
 import { reportError } from '@/lib/error-reporting';
+import { useNotificationStore } from '@/lib/stores/notification-store';
 
 interface UseNotificationsOptions {
   page?: number;
   limit?: number;
   autoFetch?: boolean;
+  enabled?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface UseNotificationsReturn {
@@ -32,11 +34,17 @@ export function useNotifications(
   // Handle overloaded arguments
   const userId = typeof input === 'string' ? input : undefined;
   const options = typeof input === 'object' ? input : {};
-  const { page: initialPage = 1, limit = 10, autoFetch = true } = options;
+  const {
+    page: initialPage = 1,
+    limit = 10,
+    autoFetch = true,
+    enabled = true,
+  } = options;
 
   const { socket, isConnected } = useSocket({
     namespace: '/notifications',
     userId,
+    autoConnect: enabled && autoFetch,
   });
 
   const [notifications, setNotifications] = useState<Notification[]>([]);
@@ -45,6 +53,16 @@ export function useNotifications(
   const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null);
   const [total, setTotal] = useState(0);
   const [currentPage, setCurrentPage] = useState(initialPage);
+  const [hasFetched, setHasFetched] = useState(false);
+
+  const { setUnreadCount: setGlobalUnreadCount } = useNotificationStore();
+
+  // Sync with global store
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (hasFetched) {
+      setGlobalUnreadCount(unreadCount);
+    }
+  }, [unreadCount, setGlobalUnreadCount, hasFetched]);
 
   // Merge server list with current state: dedupe by id, preserve optimistic read state (short rollback path)
   const mergeNotifications = useCallback(
@@ -79,6 +97,7 @@ export function useNotifications(
           mergeNotifications(prev, response.notifications)
         );
         setTotal(response.total || 0);
+        setHasFetched(true);
       }
     } catch (err) {
       reportError(err, { context: 'notifications-fetch' });
@@ -142,6 +161,7 @@ export function useNotifications(
     // Listen for unread count updates
     const handleUnreadCount = (data: { count: number }) => {
       setUnreadCount(data.count);
+      setHasFetched(true);
     };
 
     // Listen for notification updates