How the economy moves in phases, and what that means for investing.
The business cycle is a map, not a trading signal. Understanding which phase you're in helps explain why your portfolio is positioned the way it is — not as a prompt to rearrange it. The evidence consistently points the same direction: staying invested through the cycle outperforms trying to navigate around it.
The interactive version walks through expansion, peak, recession, and recovery — key indicators, how major asset classes have tended to behave, and the usual policy response in each phase. Historical patterns only, not market timing advice.
Free educational tool from Multi-Cycle Planning — no account, no email capture. All free tools: The Business Cycle · The Inflation Calculator · Inflation calculator guide · Future Value Calculator · Future value calculator guide · Portfolio Volatility, Explained · Portfolio volatility calculator guide · 4% Rule Calculator · 4 percent rule calculator guide · The Numbers, In Context · Which State Fits? · The Wedding Trade-Off · Wedding budget calculator guide · Estate Planning 101 · AI Model Releases · Your Data is Private & Secure. The full planning platform is also free, by approval: request access, no obligation.
Educational tool, not personalized advice. As with all AI in 2026, this platform can make mistakes and even hallucinate. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Advisory services and securities offered through Lincoln Investment, Registered Investment Adviser, Broker-Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Multi-Cycle Capital LLC and Lincoln Investment are independent and non-affiliated. Firm site: multi-cycle.com · How the AI planning works