Your Individual brokerage account has unlimited $0 online stock, ETF and option trades with no trade or balance minimums. Options contract and other fees may apply.* Your Individual brokerage account has no minimum balance requirement and no annual account fee. Additional transaction, service or investment fees may apply.* See our comprehensive pricing for details.

Merrill A Bank of America Company Merrill A Bank of America Company

Open an account

Open Menu bar

Open an account with Merrill

Brokerage Accounts

Q: What is the difference between an Individual and Joint brokerage account?

A Joint brokerage account can offer up to four account owners, while an Individual brokerage account is limited to one.

Q: How can I open a Merrill investment account?

You can open an investment account online in less than 15 minutes. Or speak with Merrill Financial Solutions Advisors at 888.MER.EDGE (888.637.3343) or visit a Bank of America financial center near you.

Q: How do I fund my online brokerage account?

Fund in one of four ways: Real-time instant funding� same-day funding from your eligible linked Bank of America bank account and your new Merrill online brokerage account (transfers from your eligible linked accounts at other financial institutions take up to three business days to process and clear) Fund by wire transfer � next-day funding from accounts at other financial institutions received by 4 p.m. ET will post to your new Merrill account the next day Fund by check � send a personal, cashier or bank check to: Merrill P.O. Box #962 Newark, NJ 07101-0962 Deposited funds typically post to the account within two days of receipt. Funds are available for investment when posted, but can be held from withdrawal for up to eight days. Transfer an account � the transfer of securities or accounts held at another financial institution typically takes 5+ business days. Moving securities from one of your Merrill accounts to another is real time.

Pursue your investing goals with a Merrill brokerage account

Select to Open an account

With a brokerage account, you can buy and sell a variety of investments such as stocks, mutual funds, ETFs and bonds.

Individual and Joint Account Benefits

Get unlimited $0 online stock and ETF tradesFootnote *

Consolidate accounts from other institutionsFootnote ¹

Access powerful tools only available at Merrill

Contact customer support for help 24/7

Question:

Can I have more than one Merrill brokerage account?

Answer:

Yes, having multiple accounts is a great way to support multiple financial goals.

Enhance your investing capabilities with sharp analysis and fresh ideas

Customize your trade analysis with Merrill Edge MarketPro^®, offering advanced charting capabilities, intuitive screeners and more.Footnote ²

Select to Learn more about Merrill Edge MarketPro^®.

You can also start searching for your next investing idea with Idea Builder, an intuitive tool that helps you explore investing ideas by themes.

Select to Log in now to explore ideas.

See what else your Merrill account has to offer

Discover your investment choices

Find your preferred way to invest, whether you're interested in simple stock trades or advanced options and margin trading.

Select to learn more about Stocks Select to learn more about Mutual Funds Select to learn more about ETFs Select to learn more about Fixed Income Select to learn more about Options Select to learn more about Margin Trading

Merrill offers transparent pricing for trades, account services and investment advisory programs.
Select to Learn more about pricing at Merrill

Ready to get started?

Select to Open an account

or call us at 888.637.3343

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

What are the advantages of an online brokerage account?

An online brokerage account allows you to easily transfer available funds between your Bank of America bank and Merrill investment accountsFootnote ¹ and gives you access to a full range of investment choices. Enjoy the convenience of monitoring your portfolio from your mobile device, and Self-Directed investors can manage everyday transactions with services such as check-writing, a Visa^® deferred debit card and web bill pay.

Can I have more than one brokerage account?

Yes, you may open as many brokerage accounts as you want. Opening multiple accounts is a great way to support multiple goals. In addition, you can manage each account in the way that best suits your needs. For example, you can have an account managed by Merrill Investment professionals with Merrill Guided Investing or Merrill Guided Investing with an advisorFootnote ³, and a self-directed account.Footnote * See our Ways to manage investments for more details.

What is the difference between an Individual and Joint brokerage account?

What are my investment choices?

Access a full range of investments, including: stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), fixed income, bonds and thousands of well-known mutual funds.

For a simpler approach, consider opening a Merrill Guided Investing account, an investment advisory program, where you can invest with a low-cost portfolio built, managed and rebalanced by the investment professionals at Merrill.Footnote ³

How can I open a Merrill investment account?

Do I receive any investment benefits with Merrill as a Bank of America^® Preferred Rewards member?

As a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, you're eligible for preferred pricing with a Merrill Guided Investing account. Get a professionally managed portfolio aligned to your goals that's built, monitored and rebalanced by Merrill investment professionals.Footnote ³ Get started with as little as $1,000 for Merrill Guided Investing or $20,000 for Merrill Guided investing with an advisor for a low fee.Footnote ³ Other fees may applyFootnote *

How do I fund my online brokerage account?

Fund in one of four ways:

Real-time instant fundingFootnote ⁴ — same-day funding from your eligible linked Bank of America bank account and your new Merrill online brokerage account (transfers from your eligible linked accounts at other financial institutions take up to three business days to process and clear)
Fund by wire transfer — next-day funding from accounts at other financial institutions received by 4 p.m. ET will post to your new Merrill account the next day
Fund by check — send a personal, cashier or bank check to:

Merrill
P.O. Box #962
Newark, NJ 07101-0962

Deposited funds typically post to the account within two days of receipt. Funds are available for investment when posted, but can be held from withdrawal for up to eight days.
Transfer an account — the transfer of securities or accounts held at another financial institution typically takes 5+ business days. Moving securities from one of your Merrill accounts to another is real time.

Are there any fees?

Your Individual brokerage account has unlimited $0 online stock, ETF and option trades with no trade or balance minimums. Options contract and other fees may apply.Footnote *

Your Individual brokerage account has no minimum balance requirement and no annual account fee. Additional transaction, service or investment fees may apply.Footnote * See our comprehensive pricing for details.

Can I transfer money between my Bank of America banking and Merrill investment accounts?

Yes. One of the greatest benefits of linking your accounts is the ability to transfer money easily between your eligible banking and brokerage accounts. You can make an immediate, one-time transfer between accounts, schedule transfers in the future and set up recurring transfers.Footnote ⁴ Please note that you can only transfer money between your brokerage accounts on the Merrill Edge website. And, if you want to transfer money from a Bank of America account to another person's Bank of America account, you must do so through your Bank of America Online Banking account.

To transfer cash between your Bank of America and Merrill accounts, link your accounts, and then use our online tool to make a transfer.

How do I transfer an account or assets from another firm to Merrill?

You will need an account with the same type and ownership (such as individual, joint or custodian) at Merrill that matches the account you want to transfer. For example, you can transfer assets from an individual Roth IRA to another individual Roth IRA with the same owner.
Have a copy of your most recent statement from the account you want to transfer to Merrill.
To start the transfer process:
1. To transfer cash, including money markets funds held at a financial institution other than Bank of America, use our Funds Transfer Service form (PDF). When this process is complete, you will be able to set up recurring deposits and wire funds without delays or fees.
2. To transfer securities or an account from another financial firm, use our Transfer Assets Online Login required tool to make the transfer. Start with this tool to transfer some assets or complete accounts held somewhere else.

If you are transferring an account that is changing in account ownership from a custodial account to a joint account, the minor must have attained the age of majority. If the change in ownership is to a joint account, the minor must be one of the joint owners. The custodian of the account must sign the transfer form.

Medallion signature guarantees will be required for all signatures in the Special Authorization section of the Account Transfer form. A medallion signature guarantee is a special financially-backed signature guarantee for the transfer of securities. Please check with your bank of security firm to find out if they can provide medallion signature guarantees.

Please contact us to assist you at any time while you are transferring your account.

How do I deposit money into my Merrill account?

To transfer cash from a Bank of America or Merrill account, link your accounts, and then use our online tool to make an immediate transfer.

To transfer cash or securities from an account held at another financial institution, please complete our Funds Transfer Service form (PDF). When that process is completed, you will be able to see that account in our online tool and will be able to transfer funds, and set up one-time and recurring deposits.

To deposit a check, please write your Merrill account number in the memo field of your endorsed check and deposit via the mobile app or mail it to one of the addresses below:

Regular mail
Merrill
P.O. Box 962
Newark, NJ 07101-0962

Overnight mail
Merrill
FL9-802-03-06
4803 Deer Lake Drive East
Jacksonville, FL 32246
877.653.4732

Can I trade on margin?

Yes. You can trade on margin by using the Margin Lending Program. During the account opening process, you have the ability to opt in and sign the margin agreement. If you do not accept the agreement during account opening, you subsequently may submit a margin agreement form to gain access. As a Merrill client, you can access credit based on the value of the margin-eligible securities in your Merrill account. Learn more about margin lending, including the potential advantages and risks.

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

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
When we make recommendations regarding securities or investment strategies (including as to rollovers and account types) with respect to retirement assets, we are a fiduciary within the meaning of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and/or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable.
Footnote

Merrill Edge MarketPro^® is available to clients who maintain a Merrill Edge^® Self-Directed relationship. Not available to investment professionals or for trust accounts and business accounts. Relationship requirements and pricing are subject to change.

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

Clients enrolled in Preferred Rewards receive a Preferred Rewards discount off the Merrill Guided Investing program's annual asset-based fee of 0.45%, and the Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor and Merrill Edge Advisory Account programs' annual asset-based fee of 0.85% for any of their accounts enrolled in the respective advisory programs. Preferred Rewards enrolled clients receive a discount of 0.05% off of the annual rate for the Gold tier, 0.10% for the Platinum tier, or 0.15% for the Platinum Honors, Diamond and Diamond Honors tiers based on their Preferred Rewards tier effective at the time the applicable advisory program fee is calculated. It may take up to 30 calendar days for changes to your Preferred Rewards status or tier to be associated with and effective for your accounts in the advisory programs. This fee is charged monthly in advance. In addition to the annual program fee, the expenses of the investments will vary based on the specific funds within each portfolio. Actual fund expenses will vary; please refer to each fund's prospectus.

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

Certain banking and brokerage accounts may be ineligible for real-time money movement, including but not limited to transfers to/from bank IRAs (CD, Money Market), 529s, Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking™, Credit Cards and transfers from IRAs, Loans (HELOC, LOC, Mortgage) and accounts held in the military bank. Accounts eligible for real-time transfers will be displayed online in the to/from drop down menu on the transfer screen.

Footnote

Sustainable and Impact Investing and/or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) managers may take into consideration factors beyond traditional financial information to select securities, which could result in relative investment performance deviating from other strategies or broad market benchmarks, depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. Further, ESG strategies may rely on certain values based criteria to eliminate exposures found in similar strategies or broad market benchmarks, which could also result in relative investment performance deviating.

MAP6579656-11022025

Connect with us:

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.

Privacy | Security | Glossary | Advertising practices popup Advertising Practices popup

© 2024 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

4326521

I'd Like to

Discover Merrill

Contact Us

888.637.3343

Connect with us:

Unlimited $0 Trades

With Merrill Edge Self‑Directed, get unlimited free online stock, ETF and option trades with no trade or balance minimumsFooter footnote ^b

Options contracts and other fees may applyFooter footnote ^a

Open an account with Merrill Edge Self-Directed

Footer 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.
Footer 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.

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.

The performance data contained herein represents past performance which does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. For performance information current to the most recent month end, please contact us.

Net Asset Value (NAV) returns are based on the prior-day closing NAV value at 4 p.m. ET. NAV returns assume the reinvestment of all dividend and capital gain distributions at NAV when paid.

Market price returns are based on the prior-day closing market price, which is the average of the midpoint bid-ask prices at 4 p.m. ET. Market price returns do not represent the returns an investor would receive if shares were traded at other times.

Returns include fees and applicable loads. Since Inception returns are provided for funds with less than 10 years of history and are as of the fund's inception date. 10 year returns are provided for funds with greater than 10 years of history.

Before investing consider carefully the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the fund, including management fees, other expenses and special risks. This and other information may be found in each fund's prospectus or summary prospectus, if available. Always read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before you invest or send money. Prospectuses can be obtained by contacting us.

Expense Ratio – Gross Expense Ratio is the total annual operating expense (before waivers or reimbursements) from the fund's most recent prospectus. You should also review the fund's detailed annual fund operating expenses which are provided in the fund's prospectus.

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.

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

Merrill A Bank of America Company Merrill A Bank of America Company

(VA22********4V)

Brokerage Accounts

Pursue your investing goals with a Merrill brokerage account

With a brokerage account, you can buy and sell a variety of investments such as stocks, mutual funds, ETFs and bonds.

Individual and Joint Account Benefits

Enhance your investing capabilities with sharp analysis and fresh ideas

See what else your Merrill account has to offer

Decide How You Want to Invest

Manage Investments on the Go

Invest to Make a Difference

Discover your investment choices

Ready to get started?

Frequently Asked Questions

I'd Like to

Discover Merrill

Contact Us

Unlimited $0 Trades