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Important information about your choices and our relationship

We believe that the better informed you are, the better decisions you can make about what's right for you.

You have choices in how we work together, including if you receive advice and how you manage your account and pay for our services.
We provide key resources and information to help you make informed decisions about your investments, taking into account the types of relationships you can have with us. You can review the applicable materials below to help you understand your options and how we charge for advice, services and solutions.
The Client Relationship Summary (PDF) (Form CRS) provides an overview of the types of services you receive. It covers summary information about fees, costs and conflicts of interest, and provides you with information about us and our relationship. It covers both our brokerage and investment advisory programs and offerings.

Information about each type of relationship:

  Merrill Edge®
Self-Directed
Investment advisory services Merrill Advisory Center
  Brokerage Merrill Guided Investing (Online)Footnote 1 Merrill Guided Investing with AdvisorFootnote 1 & Merrill Edge Advisory AccountFootnote 3 Brokerage (available to certain eligible clients only)
What type of services do I receive? Access to guided tools, research and market information, trade execution Advice and guidance, ongoing portfolio management and monitoring Advice and guidance from an advisor, ongoing portfolio management and monitoring Access to investment recommendations from an advisor, trade execution and research
Who makes the investment decisions? You make the day-to-day investment and trading decisions Investment portfolios are managed by Merrill investment professionalsFootnote 2 Investment portfolios are managed by Merrill investment professionalsFootnote 2 You make the day-to-day investment and trading decisions
How do I pay for these services?
Fees based on individual transactions and/or other sales charges
An annual fee based on a percentage of the assets in your account
An annual fee based on a percentage of the assets in your account
Fees based on individual transactions and/or other sales charges
Where do I find more information?

For more information

If you have any questions about the Form CRS or the Best Interest Disclosure Statement, please contact us at 888.MLINVEST (888.654.6837)
Footnote 
Please review the applicable Merrill Guided Investing Program Brochure (PDF) or Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor Program Brochure (PDF) for information including the program fee, rebalancing, and the details of the investment advisory program. Your recommended investment strategy will be based solely on the information you provide to us for this specific investment goal and is separate from any other advisory program offered with us. If there are multiple owners on this account, the information you provide should reflect the views and circumstances of all owners on the account. If you are the fiduciary of this account for the benefit of the account owner or account holder (e.g., trustee for a trust or custodian for an UTMA), please keep in mind that these assets will be invested for the benefit of the account owner or account holder. Merrill Guided Investing is offered with and without an advisor. Merrill, Merrill Lynch, and/or Merrill Edge investment advisory programs are offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("MLPF&S") and Managed Account Advisors LLC ("MAA") an affiliate of MLPF&S. MLPF&S and MAA are registered investment advisers. Investment adviser registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Footnote 
The Chief Investment Office (CIO) develops the investment strategies for Merrill Guided Investing and Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor, including providing its recommendations of ETFs, mutual funds and related asset allocations. Managed Account Advisors LLC (MAA), Merrill's affiliate, is the overlay portfolio manager responsible for implementing the Merrill Guided Investing strategies for client accounts, including facilitating the purchase & sale of ETFs and mutual funds in client accounts and updating account asset allocations when the CIO's recommendations change while also implementing any applicable individual client or firm restriction(s).

You may also be able to obtain the same or similar services or types of investments through other programs and services, both investment advisory and brokerage, offered by Merrill; these may be available at lower or higher fees than charged by the Program. The services that you receive by investing through Merrill Guided Investing or Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor will be different from the services you receive through other programs. You may also be able to obtain some or all of these types of services from other firms, and if they are available, the fees associated with them may be lower or higher than the fees we charge.
Footnote 3 The Merrill Edge Advisory Account Program is sponsored by MLPF&S and Managed Account Advisors (MAA), an affiliate of MLPF&S. MLPF&S and MAA are registered investment advisers. Investment Adviser registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Please review the disclosure brochure for a full description of services and fees.

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