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Self-Directed Investing
Merrill Edge Advisory Center™
Definition You prefer to invest on your own, directly managing your money and making all investment decisions. Invest independently, but with support from BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research and easy-to-use tools so you can learn, plan and act online. You prefer to invest with advice and guidance from our team of Financial Solutions Advisors who can offer a holistic view of your financial situation and personalized advice through telephone consultations.
Minimum Asset
Requirements
No Account minimum for CMA or Retirement Accounts $20,000 (minimum waived for 529 and Coverdell college savings plans)
Advice
& Guidance
Online planning tools, calculators and extensive research are available to help you make the right investment choices for you. Our team of Financial Solutions Advisors will consult with you over the phone to give you personalized advice and guidance for your specific situation.
Accounts Brokerage, Retirement, Custodial Brokerage, Retirement, Custodial and Education
Investments Mutual funds, stocks, bonds, ETFs, options Portfolio may include mutual funds, stocks, bonds, ETFs and managed solutions.
Pricing Competitive pricing with 30 online equity and ETF trades per month as low as $01 and no annual account fee. See the pricing page in Products & Solutions for full details. Please contact us at 1.888.MER.EDGE for fees and commissions information.
Take Action Open a self-directed account

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Please remember there's always the potential of losing money when investing in securities.

1 $0 trades are only available with an individual or joint Merrill Edge self-directed brokerage account. MLPF&S waives its commission fee for as many as 30 monthly online equity trades, including stock and exchange traded funds (ETFs) for customers who meet any one of the following criteria:

Combined total of $25,000 or more in your deposit accounts at Bank of America, N.A. When you make a trade, MLPF&S determines whether you meet the balance requirement to qualify that trade for the $0 waiver. MLPF&S adds the average collected balances in your deposit accounts as of the prior month to the balances in your bank CD and IRAs as of the prior business day. Bank deposit accounts with the same social security number (SSN) as the (SSN)(s) on the self-directed brokerage account are systematically included in the balance determination. If this calculation reflects a combined total of less than $25,000, a second calculation is made. To determine the 30-trade limit, MLPF&S adds the qualifying trades in your individual accounts and joint accounts. Commission fees apply when the balance requirement is not met, or when you exceed 30 qualifying trades a month. Brokerage fees associated with, but not limited to, margin transactions, option trading, special stock registration/gifting, account transfer and processing, account maintenance, research request and termination apply. See merrilledge.com for details. Standard deposit account fees apply. Relationship requirements and pricing are subject to change.

Or combined balance of $25,000 or more in cash balances in one or both of the following sweep options in your Merrill Edge self-directed account(s) as of the prior business day:
  • Bank Deposit Accounts sweep option with your CMA
  • Retirement Assets Savings Program II sweep with your IRA.

This offer does not apply to Business/Corporate Accounts, Investment Club Accounts, Partnership Accounts and certain fiduciary accounts held at MLPF&S.