diff --git a/backend/app/services/budget_projection.py b/backend/app/services/budget_projection.py
index 695cec4..fcb748f 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/budget_projection.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/budget_projection.py
@@ -65,8 +65,14 @@ def get_effective_amount(item: RecurringItem, month: int, year: int) -> float |
     return None
 
 
+def _validate_month(month: int) -> None:
+    if not 1 <= month <= 12:
+        raise ValueError(f"month must be 1-12, got {month}")
+
+
 def get_month_range(year: int, month: int) -> tuple[datetime, datetime]:
     """Return (start, end) for a calendar month."""
+    _validate_month(month)
     start = datetime(year, month, 1)
     if month == 12:
         end = datetime(year + 1, 1, 1)
@@ -76,7 +82,15 @@ def get_month_range(year: int, month: int) -> tuple[datetime, datetime]:
 
 
 def get_cycle_range(year: int, month: int) -> tuple[datetime, datetime]:
-    """Return (start, end) for billing cycle: month/18 to month+1/18."""
+    """Return (start, end) of the billing cycle that STARTS on the 18th of
+    `month`: [month/18, month+1/18).
+
+    Note the labeling convention: budget month M covers the cycle that ENDS
+    on the 18th of M, so callers compose get_previous_cycle(year, M) with
+    this function — see compute_actuals_by_source. Pinned by
+    tests/test_cycle_math.py.
+    """
+    _validate_month(month)
     start = datetime(year, month, 18)
     if month == 12:
         end = datetime(year + 1, 1, 18)