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Ways to Invest with Merrill

Explore ways to invest with Merrill

Open an account with Merrill
For illustrative purposes only

MERRILL EDGE SELF-DIRECTED

Manage your portfolio independently and choose your own investments

Item 1 of 4: 
Unlimited $0 online stock, ETF and option tradesFootnote 1
Footnote *Option contract and other fees may apply
Item 2 of 4:  No annual account fees or balance minimums
Item 3 of 4:  Access timely insights and investing ideas from BofA Global ResearchFootnote 5
Item 4 of 4:  Powerful Merrill tools to find investments and analyze performance

Merrill Guided Investing

Have Merrill investment professionalsFootnote 8 build and manage your portfolio for you

For illustrative purposes only
Item 1 of 3:  Set goals online or talk with an advisor to set goals together
Item 2 of 3:  Get a low-cost professionally managed portfolio
Item 3 of 3:  Monitor performance and change goal as needed
Merrill Guided Investing is an Investment Advisory Program
"Merrill Edge Self-Directed was awarded No. 1 Overall Client Experience" StockBrokers.com 2023 Annual Broker Review Footnote 2

Compare your options with Merrill

Compare your options. Merrill Edge Self-Directed - Managed by You. Merrill Guided Investing and Merrill Guided Investing with an advior - Managed by Merrill.
 

Merrill Guided Investing

Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor

Merrill Edge® Self‑Directed

Minimum investment
As low as $1,000Footnote 9
As low as $20,000Footnote 9
No minimum
Advisor helps establish goals
Merrill Guided Investing - not applicable
Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor - checkmark
Merrill Edge Self-Directed - not applicable
1-on-1 advice
Merrill Guided Investing - not applicable
Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor - checkmark
Merrill Edge Self-Directed - not applicable
Professionally managed portfolios
Merrill Guided Investing - checkmark
Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor - checkmark
Merrill Edge Self-Directed - not applicable
Establish a goal online
Merrill Guided Investing - checkmark
Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor - not applicable
Merrill Edge Self-Directed - not applicable
Customizable trading platform
Merrill Guided Investing - not applicable
Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor - not applicable
Merrill Edge Self-Directed - checkmark
Full range of investments
Merrill Guided Investing - not applicable
Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor - not applicable
Merrill Edge Self-Directed - checkmark
Annual program fee
0.45%
calculated and assessed monthly based on your prior month's balanceFootnote 4
Special Offer
$0 program fees for 6 months for new enrollmentsFootnote 7
Use offer code: 6FREE
Conditions and other fees applyFootnote *
0.85%
calculated and assessed monthly based on your prior month's balanceFootnote 3
Other fees may applyFootnote **
Unlimited
$0 stock, ETF and option trades with no minimum and no annual program fee
Special Offer
Get up to $600 when you open and invest in a new Merrill Edge® Self‑Directed account.Footnote 6
Use offer code: 600ME
Options contract and other fees may applyFootnote *

Still not sure? Talk with an advisor.

You can meet with a Merrill advisor regardless of how much money you have to invest, and they'll help you find the right option for you.

Call an advisor now

855.488.5245

Set up a meeting  with an advisor

Schedule now
Learn more about how an advisor can help you

Bank of America Preferred Rewards®

Get rewarded for your combined Bank of America banking and Merrill investing account balances.

Swipe below for more items
Gold Preferred Rewards
$20K to <$50K
3-month combined average daily balance
Platinum Preferred Rewards
$50K to <$100K
3-month combined average daily balance
Platinum Honors Preferred Rewards
$100K to <$1MM
3-month combined average daily balance
Diamond Preferred Rewards
$1MM to <$10MM
3-month combined average daily balance

Ready to get started?

or call us at 888.637.3343
Footnote 
Other fees may apply. Free and $0 means there is no commission charged for these trades. $0 option trades are subject to a $0.65 per-contract fee. Sales are subject to a transaction fee of between $0.01 and $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. There are costs associated with owning ETFs. To learn more about Merrill pricing, visit our Pricing page.
Footnote 
Other fees may apply. Sales of ETFs are subject to a transaction fee of between $0.01 and $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. There are costs associated with owning ETFs and mutual funds. To learn more about pricing, visit our Pricing page.
Footnote 
Merrill waives its commissions for all online stock, ETF and option trades placed in a Merrill Edge® Self-Directed brokerage account. Brokerage fees associated with, but not limited to, margin transactions, special stock registration/gifting, account transfer and processing and termination apply. $0 option trades are subject to a $0.65 per-contract fee. Other fees and restrictions may apply. Pricing is subject to change without advance notice.

For broker-assisted trades through Merrill Edge, you will be charged a fee equal to the lower of $29.95 or 5.00% of the principal amount of the transaction. Further, there are indirect fees, such as annual management and other similar fees, that are charged by the manager or sponsor of an exchange-traded fund and of a closed-end fund, as disclosed in the product's prospectus.
Footnote 
Merrill Edge Self-Directed was awarded No. 1 Overall Client Experience and received an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from StockBrokers.com. Evaluated as one of 17 online brokers in Go to third-party website StockBrokers.com 2024 Online Broker Review popup published on January 23, 2024. StockBrokers.com evaluated brokers using 181 variables across 8 categories. The Overall Client Experience award recognizes the best user experience for typical U.S. retail investors. StockBrokers.com testing simulates dozens of workflows for investors and traders alike. Key criteria include satisfying user intent, design, customer support, platform responsiveness, convenience, workflow, education, marketing communications, and transparency. Go to third-party website Learn more about the methodology at StockBrokers.com popup. Rankings and recognition from StockBrokers.com are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement.
Footnote 3 There is an annual program fee of 0.85% based on the assets held in the account. This fee is charged monthly in advance.

Footnote 4 There is an annual program fee of 0.45% based on the assets held in the account. This fee is charged monthly in advance.

Footnote 
BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc. ("BofAS") and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC popup, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp.").
Footnote 
Offer valid for new individual Merrill IRAs or Cash Management Accounts (CMAs). Cash bonus offers, in the aggregate, are limited to one CMA and one IRA per accountholder. Eligible Merrill IRAs limited to Traditional, Roth and owner-only SEP IRA. The Merrill IRA or CMA may be a Merrill Edge Self-Directed account, Merrill Edge Advisory Account, Merrill Guided Investing or Merrill Guided Investing with an Advisor account. You may be eligible for a different or better offer. Please contact us for more information.

Offer Limitations: This offer does not apply to business/corporate accounts, investment club accounts, partnership accounts and certain fiduciary accounts held with Merrill, or to any types of accounts (including IRAs or CMAs) held with other business units of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S). Merrill reserves the right to change or cancel this offer at any time, without notice. This offer may not be used as an inducement to sell any kind of insurance, including annuities.

How it Works:

  1. You must enroll during account opening by entering the offer code in the online application or by providing it when speaking with a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor at 888.637.3343 or at select Bank of America® financial centers. You are solely responsible for enrolling or asking to be enrolled in the offer.
  2. Fund your account with at least $20,000 in qualifying net new assets within 45 days of offer enrollment. Assets transferred from other accounts at MLPF&S, Bank of America Private Bank, or 401(k) accounts administered by MLPF&S do not count towards qualifying net new assets.
  3. After 90 days of meeting the funding criteria described in Step 2, your cash reward will be determined by the qualifying net new assets in your account (irrespective of any losses or gains due to trading or market volatility) as follows:
    Qualifying Net New Asset Balance Cash Reward
    Less than $20,000 $0
    $20,000 to $49,999 $100
    $50,000 to $99,999 $150
    $100,000 to $199,999 $250
    $200,000 or more $600
    For purposes of this offer, qualifying net new assets are calculated by adding total incoming assets or transfers (including cash, securities and/or margin debit balance transfers) from external accounts, and subtracting assets withdrawn or transferred out of the account within the preceding 24 weeks.
  4. Your one-time cash reward will be deposited into your IRA or CMA within two weeks following the end of the 90 day period. If your account is enrolled in an investment advisory program, such as Merrill Edge Advisory Account, Merrill Guided Investing or Merrill Guided Investing with an Advisor, any cash reward deposited into your account will be subject to the program fee and other terms of the investment advisory program.
Tax Disclaimer: The value of the reward you receive may constitute taxable income. Merrill may issue an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 (or other appropriate form) to you that reflects the value of the reward. Please consult your tax advisor. Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates and associates do not provide tax advice.

You have choices about what to do with your employer-sponsored retirement plan accounts. Depending on your financial circumstances, needs and goals, you may choose to roll over to an IRA or convert to a Roth IRA, roll over an employer-sponsored plan from your old job to your new employer, take a distribution, or leave the account where it is. Each choice may offer different investment options and services, fees and expenses, withdrawal options, required minimum distributions, tax treatment (particularly with reference to employer stock), and different types of protection from creditors and legal judgments. These are complex choices and should be considered with care. For more information visit our rollover page or call Merrill at 888.637.3343.
Footnote 
Merrill Guided Investing 6-Month Offer

Introductory 6-Month Program Fee Waiver Offer eligible for accounts that are newly enrolled into the Merrill Guided Investing program (MGI) starting on and after March 27, 2023.

How it Works:

  1. To be eligible for the Offer, you must input the Offer Code during the account opening step through the MGI website or you must instruct a Merrill representative to input the Offer Code for you. You are solely responsible for taking this action to be eligible for the Offer.
  2. Once your account with the Offer Code applied has enrolled into MGI, Merrill will waive MGI's annual asset-based fee of 0.45% (Program Fee) for the initial partial month, if applicable, and for 6 full months after the effective date your account's enrollment in MGI (Offer Period).
  3. This Offer is solely limited to Merrill's waiver of MGI's Program Fee. Your MGI-enrolled account will be subject to fees and expenses not covered by MGI's Program Fee during and after the Offer Period, including the internal fees and expenses of funds in your account, as described in the MGI ADV brochure. Please refer to the MGI ADV brochure section "Fees and Expenses Not Covered by the Program Fee" for a list of other fees and expenses that your MGI-enrolled account may be charged and that are not included in MGI's Program Fee.
  4. This Offer is only available to newly enrolled MGI-accounts, is not transferable to another account, and may not be combined with other offers relating to the account's advisory program fee. When the Offer Period expires, your MGI-enrolled account will be subject to MGI's annual asset-based Program Fee of 0.45% which is charged monthly in advance. If you unenroll your account from MGI before the Offer Period expires, you'll owe no Program Fee for the services provided while the account was enrolled in MGI. If you are eligible for MGI Program Fee discounts, rebates or credits under the Preferred Rewards Program offered by BANA, then those benefits will apply following the Offer Period's expiration. You may be eligible for other offers from Merrill and its affiliates. Please contact us for more information.
  5. Merrill reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions or terminate this Offer at any time without notice. Merrill also reserves the right to refuse a waiver or portion of a waiver for an MGI-enrolled account if it determines that the account obtained it under fraudulent circumstances, that you provided inaccurate or incomplete information in enrolling the account in MGI, or that you violated any terms of your MGI agreement. MGI Program enrollment requirements and guidelines apply.
Tax Disclaimer: The value of the waiver of MGI's Program Fee may constitute taxable income. Merrill may issue an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 (or other appropriate form) to you that reflects the value of the waiver. Please consult your tax advisor. Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates and associates do not provide tax advice.
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).
Footnote 
The Merrill Guided Investing program investment minimum is $1,000 for growth-focused strategies and $50,000 for income-focused strategies. The Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor program investment minimum is $20,000 for growth-focused strategies and $50,000 for income-focused strategies.
MAP6774346-04252026
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Investment products offered through MLPF&S and insurance and annuity products offered through MLLA:
Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value
Are Not Deposits Are Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency Are Not a Condition to Any Banking Service or Activity

Investing in securities involves risks, and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities.

Asset allocation, diversification, and rebalancing do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.
Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

This material is not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security or investment strategy. Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory (including financial planning) and other services. Additional information is available in our Client Relationship Summary (PDF).

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as "MLPF&S" or "Merrill") makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp."). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member Securities Investor Protection (SIPC) popup and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp.").
Merrill Lynch Life Agency Inc. (MLLA) is a licensed insurance agency and wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A. and affiliated banks, Members FDIC and wholly owned subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.

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