diff --git a/app/decorators/person_decorator.rb b/app/decorators/person_decorator.rb
index 09bb4d5421..cc572d4c6a 100644
--- a/app/decorators/person_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/decorators/person_decorator.rb
@@ -83,6 +83,38 @@ def facilitator_since_date
     end
   end
 
+  # Label shown for each deletion-blocker key (see Person#deletion_blockers), so
+  # the "Can't be deleted" notice names the actual kinds of records the person
+  # has rather than a generic catch-all.
+  DELETION_BLOCKER_LABELS = {
+    user_account: "a user account",
+    workshop_logs: "authored workshop logs",
+    story_ideas: "authored story ideas",
+    workshop_ideas: "authored workshop ideas",
+    workshop_variation_ideas: "authored workshop variation ideas",
+    affiliations: "organization affiliations",
+    stories: "authored stories",
+    workshops: "authored workshops",
+    workshop_variations: "authored workshop variations",
+    community_news: "authored community news",
+    resources: "authored resources",
+    payments: "payments",
+    scholarships: "scholarships",
+    grants: "grants",
+    event_registrations: "event registrations",
+    event_staffing: "event staff assignments",
+    form_submissions: "form submissions"
+  }.freeze
+
+  # Human-readable explanation of why the Delete button is unavailable, or nil
+  # when the person is deletable — naming each kind of record that's blocking it.
+  def deletion_blocked_reason
+    labels = deletion_blockers.map { |key| DELETION_BLOCKER_LABELS.fetch(key) }
+    return if labels.empty?
+
+    "Can't be deleted — this person has #{labels.to_sentence}."
+  end
+
   def affiliated_since_date
     # Compute in Ruby from the (eager-loaded) association so list pages that
     # preload affiliations don't fire a MIN(start_date) query per row.
diff --git a/app/models/person.rb b/app/models/person.rb
index 0d2032be50..7e07ff519c 100644
--- a/app/models/person.rb
+++ b/app/models/person.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class Person < ApplicationRecord
   has_many :event_staffs, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :scholarships, foreign_key: :recipient_id, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :grants, as: :donor, dependent: :destroy
+  has_many :payments, dependent: :restrict_with_error
   has_many :events, through: :event_registrations
   has_many :staffed_events, through: :event_staffs, source: :event
   has_many :categories, through: :categorizable_items
@@ -327,6 +328,39 @@ def age_range_items_ordered
     age_range_categorizable_items.sort_by { |item| [ item.category&.position || 0, item.category&.name.to_s ] }
   end
 
+  # Keys for each kind of record that deleting this person would cascade-destroy
+  # or orphan — the things worth keeping (identity, authored content, financial
+  # and event history), not disposable profile detail like addresses or tags.
+  # Empty means the person is safe to delete. Gates PersonPolicy#destroy?; the
+  # decorator maps each key to the label shown in the "Can't be deleted" notice.
+  def deletion_blockers
+    blockers = []
+    if user.present?
+      blockers << :user_account
+      blockers << :workshop_logs if user.workshop_logs.exists?
+      blockers << :story_ideas if user.story_ideas_as_creator.exists?
+      blockers << :workshop_ideas if user.workshop_ideas_as_creator.exists?
+      blockers << :workshop_variation_ideas if user.workshop_variation_ideas_creator.exists?
+    end
+    blockers << :affiliations if affiliations.exists?
+    blockers << :stories if stories_as_author.exists? || stories_as_spotlighted_facilitator.exists?
+    blockers << :workshops if workshops_as_author.exists?
+    blockers << :workshop_variations if workshop_variations_as_author.exists?
+    blockers << :community_news if community_news_as_author.exists?
+    blockers << :resources if resources_as_author.exists?
+    blockers << :payments if payments.exists?
+    blockers << :scholarships if scholarships.exists?
+    blockers << :grants if grants.exists?
+    blockers << :event_registrations if event_registrations.exists?
+    blockers << :event_staffing if event_staffs.exists?
+    blockers << :form_submissions if form_submissions.exists?
+    blockers
+  end
+
+  def deletable?
+    deletion_blockers.empty?
+  end
+
   private
 
   # Count the in-memory set (not a DB query): nested attributes build the items in
diff --git a/app/policies/person_policy.rb b/app/policies/person_policy.rb
index e6d21f8cf7..3fb8242ed6 100644
--- a/app/policies/person_policy.rb
+++ b/app/policies/person_policy.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def update?
   end
 
   def destroy?
-    admin? && record.persisted? && !has_associated_data?
+    admin? && record.persisted? && record.deletable?
   end
 
   def search?
@@ -51,15 +51,4 @@ def owner?
     return false unless authenticated?
     record.user == user
   end
-
-  def has_associated_data?
-    record.user.present? ||
-      record.affiliations.exists? ||
-      record.stories_as_spotlighted_facilitator.exists? ||
-      record.stories_as_author.exists? ||
-      record.workshop_variations_as_author.exists? ||
-      record.workshops_as_author.exists? ||
-      record.community_news_as_author.exists? ||
-      record.resources_as_author.exists?
-  end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/people/_form.html.erb b/app/views/people/_form.html.erb
index f79f3f5ceb..6fb5408930 100644
--- a/app/views/people/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/people/_form.html.erb
@@ -566,6 +566,11 @@
     <% if allowed_to?(:destroy?, f.object) %>
       <%= link_to "Delete", @person, class: "btn btn-danger-outline",
                   data: { turbo_method: :delete, turbo_confirm: "Are you sure you want to delete?" } %>
+    <% elsif f.object.persisted? %>
+      <span class="inline-flex max-w-md items-start gap-2 text-sm text-gray-500">
+        <i class="fa-solid fa-circle-info mt-0.5 shrink-0 text-gray-400"></i>
+        <%= f.object.decorate.deletion_blocked_reason %>
+      </span>
     <% end %>
 
     <%= link_to "Cancel", people_path, class: "btn btn-secondary-outline",
diff --git a/spec/decorators/person_decorator_spec.rb b/spec/decorators/person_decorator_spec.rb
index 307b06189b..f90e528381 100644
--- a/spec/decorators/person_decorator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/decorators/person_decorator_spec.rb
@@ -52,4 +52,46 @@
       expect(person.decorate.affiliated_since_date).to be_nil
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#deletion_blocked_reason" do
+    it "is nil when the person has no blocking associations" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+
+      expect(person.decorate.deletion_blocked_reason).to be_nil
+    end
+
+    it "names payments when the person has them" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:payment, person: person)
+
+      expect(person.decorate.deletion_blocked_reason)
+        .to eq("Can't be deleted — this person has payments.")
+    end
+
+    it "names event registrations and form submissions" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:event_registration, registrant: person)
+      create(:form_submission, person: person)
+
+      expect(person.decorate.deletion_blocked_reason)
+        .to eq("Can't be deleted — this person has event registrations and form submissions.")
+    end
+
+    it "names authored records owned through the person's user" do
+      person = create(:person)
+      create(:workshop_log, created_by: person.user)
+
+      expect(person.decorate.deletion_blocked_reason)
+        .to eq("Can't be deleted — this person has a user account and authored workshop logs.")
+    end
+
+    it "names each kind of blocking record the person actually has" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:scholarship, recipient: person)
+      create(:grant, donor: person)
+
+      expect(person.decorate.deletion_blocked_reason)
+        .to eq("Can't be deleted — this person has scholarships and grants.")
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/person_spec.rb b/spec/models/person_spec.rb
index 2ba7b56755..0974748020 100644
--- a/spec/models/person_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/person_spec.rb
@@ -523,4 +523,63 @@ def answer(identifier, value)
       expect(person.completed_facilitator_trainings).to contain_exactly(training)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#deletable?" do
+    it "is true for a person with no user, affiliations, content, or financial records" do
+      expect(create(:person, user: nil)).to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person has a linked user account" do
+      expect(create(:person)).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person has payments" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:payment, person: person)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person is a scholarship recipient" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:scholarship, recipient: person)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person is a grant donor" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:grant, donor: person)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person has an event registration" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:event_registration, registrant: person)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person has staffed an event" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:event_staff, person: person)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person has a form submission" do
+      person = create(:person, user: nil)
+      create(:form_submission, person: person)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+
+    it "is false when the person's user authored workshop logs or ideas" do
+      person = create(:person)
+      create(:workshop_log, created_by: person.user)
+
+      expect(person).not_to be_deletable
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/policies/person_policy_spec.rb b/spec/policies/person_policy_spec.rb
index 70b4ccb6fc..055f60e0ef 100644
--- a/spec/policies/person_policy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/policies/person_policy_spec.rb
@@ -212,6 +212,107 @@ def policy_for(record: nil, user:)
         expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
       end
     end
+
+    context "when person has payments" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      before do
+        create(:payment, person: person)
+      end
+
+      it "is not allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when person has scholarships" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      before do
+        create(:scholarship, recipient: person)
+      end
+
+      it "is not allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when person has grants" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      before do
+        create(:grant, donor: person)
+      end
+
+      it "is not allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when person has an event registration" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      before do
+        create(:event_registration, registrant: person)
+      end
+
+      it "is not allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when person has staffed an event" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      before do
+        create(:event_staff, person: person)
+      end
+
+      it "is not allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when person has a form submission" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      before do
+        create(:form_submission, person: person)
+      end
+
+      it "is not allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).not_to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when person has no associated data" do
+      let(:admin) { create(:user, :admin) }
+      let(:person) { create(:person, user: nil) }
+
+      it "is allowed" do
+        policy = policy_for(record: person, user: admin)
+
+        expect(policy).to be_allowed_to(:destroy?)
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe "relation_scope" do