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Work with a dedicated advisor for ongoing assistance in pursuing your goals

or call an advisor at 888.866.2190

Explore the benefits of speaking one-on-one with an advisor.

Benefits

Item 1 of 3:  Get a complimentary, personalized strategy to help you work toward your investing goals
Item 2 of 3:  Learn about the different ways of investing at Merrill and get help deciding which one is best for you
Item 3 of 3:  If you choose to invest with an advisor long term, you can connect with them anytime and make changes to your goals as needed

Did you know?

You can consult an advisor whether you plan to work directly with one or not. They'll walk you through both Merrill's investment advisory programs and Merrill Edge Self-Directed accounts to find the best option for you.

Your approach to your finances should reflect your needs, priorities and goals

Step  1  of 4

What Matters to You

We want to know what's important to you now and what you want in the future.
Step  2  of 4

Your Path, Your Plan

Together, we'll help identify your personalized plan with guidance that support your goals.
Step  3  of 4

Making it Happen

We help you set your plan in motion — and we can adjust as your goals change.
Step  4  of 4

Helping Track Progress

Track your milestones with our online tools and meet with an advisor to review your plan as your needs and goals change.
“Merrill Guided Investing received an Overall Rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars” — Investopedia's Best Robo‑Advisors 2025
Published April 30, 2025. Rankings based on data collected April 5, 2025 to April 11, 2025Footnote 1
“BofA Global Research was named one of the Top Global Research Firms in 2024”
by Extel, formerly Institutional Investor Research (12 years running)Footnote 2

Bank of America Rewards

Rewards that match your goals. Combine your Bank of America deposits and Merrill investing account balances to qualify for higher BofA Rewards tiers.Footnote 3

Member

No minimum balance required
Enjoy credit card rewards bonuses on eligible Bank of America® cards, home and auto loan discounts and more.Footnotes 11,12,13

Preferred Plus

$30K - 100K combined balances
Step up to higher credit card rewards on eligible Bank of America® cards, waived banking fees.Footnotes 11,14

Preferred Honors

$100K - 1MM combined balances
Enjoy an elevated rewards experience with lifestyle benefits, subscription credits and more.Footnotes 15,16

Premier

$1MM+ combined balances
Immerse yourself in premium benefits and experiences that reward your success.
Merrill Guided Investing Bonus Offer

Choose your preferred way to invest and get up to $600 when you open a new Merrill account.Footnote 4  

Find the investing approach right for you

Item 1 of 3:
Managed by Merrill An Investment Advisory Program

Merrill Guided Investing

I want investment professionals to build and manage my portfolio online
Item 2 of 3:
Managed by Merrill An Investment Advisory Program

Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor

I want to work with an advisor who can help to understand my goals and put my plans into action
Item 3 of 3:
Managed by you

Merrill Edge® Self-Directed

I want to build and manage my own portfolio online
Still unsure which investing approach to choose?

Frequently Asked Questions

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 Merrill pricing, visit our Pricing page.
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 
Merrill Guided Investing received an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars in Investopedia's Best Robo-Advisors 2025, April 30, 2025 popup. Rankings based on data collected April 5, 2025 to April 11, 2025. Investopedia's team of researchers and experts conducted an all-encompassing data collection and review process of 20 digital wealth management platforms across nine key categories, including Portfolio Management, Goal Planning, Portfolio Contents, Fees, User Experience, Account Services, Account Setup, Customer Service, and Security & Education. These categories were then broken down into 60 weighted criteria. Investopedia extracts critical data points that are weighted by their quantitative model. Go to third-party website Learn more about the methodology at Investopedia popup. Reprinted with permission of Investopedia. Rankings and recognition from Investopedia 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 
Extel, formerly Institutional Investor Research, announced BofA Global Research as one of the Top Global Research Firms in 2024 based on surveys held throughout the year. Extel creates rankings of the top research analysts in a wide variety of specializations, drawn from the choices of portfolio managers and other investment professionals. The 2024 Global Research Leaders ranking lists sell-side research providers by the combined total number of positions earned across Extel's 2024 research team surveys. Results of each survey are published separately throughout the year, beginning in March 2024 with the Japan Research Team and concluding in December 2024 with the Global Fixed Income Research Team. Rankings for each poll are determined strictly by using numerical scores. Extel takes the number of votes awarded to each firm in a sector and weight it in relation to the size of the institution responding and rating it awarded. Firms are designated runners-up when their scores fall within 35 percent of the third-place scores. 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. Rankings and recognition from Extel 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 
BofA Rewards™ Eligibility. Customers can enroll and maintain their membership in BofA Rewards™ if they have an open, qualifying Bank of America® checking account. BofA Rewards tiers are based on each customer's combined average balance in qualifying deposit and investment accounts. The minimum balance for each tier is: Member, no minimum balance; Preferred Plus, $30,000; Preferred Honors, $100,000; and Premier, $1,000,000. When you enroll, you'll be placed in the appropriate tier for your combined average balance and then moved to the highest tier you're eligible for based on one of the following:

  1. for the 30 calendar days following your first enrollment, the combined end-of-day collected balance of your qualifying accounts ("Daily Balance"), provided that your Daily Balance remains above the required amount for a minimum of three business days; or
  2. subsequently, the combined average balance of your qualifying accounts calculated on the third business day of each month.
Eligible customers will be moved to the higher tier within 3 business days. New tier benefits may take up to 30 days to become effective. For full terms, including qualifying accounts and the method of calculation of average balances, refer to your Personal Schedule of Fees.

Additional Eligibility. Employees and retirees of Bank of America may be eligible for BofA Rewards membership on customized terms. For details, please call Employee Financial Services or refer to the Bank of America intranet site. Bank of America Private Bank clients qualify to enroll in the Premier tier regardless of balances. Employees of companies participating in the Bank of America Employee Banking and Investing Program may be eligible for BofA Rewards on customized terms. Refer to CEBI Program for details.
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 account 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 account opening. 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) 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 401(k) or other type of plan-sponsored accounts. Depending on your financial circumstances, needs, goals and employer plan terms, you may choose to roll over to an IRA or convert to a Roth IRA, roll over a 401(k) from a prior employer to a 401(k) at your new employer, take a distribution, or leave the account where it is (if applicable). Each choice may offer different investments and services, fees and expenses, withdrawal options, required minimum distributions, tax treatment (particularly with reference to employer stock), and provide different 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.

These options are available if you terminate employment and have a balance in your former employer's qualified retirement plan. Options to leave funds in plan or roll over to your new employer's plan may not be available in certain circumstances.
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 
Asset allocation, diversification, and rebalancing do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.
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.
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 
You have choices about what to do with your 401(k) or other type of plan-sponsored accounts. Depending on your financial circumstances, needs, goals and employer plan terms, you may choose to roll over to an IRA or convert to a Roth IRA, roll over a 401(k) from a prior employer to a 401(k) at your new employer, take a distribution, or leave the account where it is (if applicable). Each choice may offer different investments and services, fees and expenses, withdrawal options, required minimum distributions, tax treatment (particularly with reference to employer stock), and provide different 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.

These options are available if you terminate employment and have a balance in your former employer's qualified retirement plan. Options to leave funds in plan or roll over to your new employer's plan may not be available in certain circumstances.
Footnote 
Credit Card BofA Rewards™ Bonus. Certain credit cards are eligible to receive a BofA Rewards™ bonus. Enrolled BofA Rewards members with eligible Bank of America® credit cards can receive a BofA Rewards bonus of 10% for the Member tier, 25% for the Preferred Plus tier, 50% for the Preferred Honors tier, or 75% for the Premier tier. If your card receives the 10% customer bonus, the BofA Rewards bonus will replace the 10% customer bonus. The BofA Rewards bonus for eligible cash rewards credit cards will be applied after all base and bonus cash rewards have been calculated on a purchase. For example, a $100 purchase that earns 3% ($3.00) will actually earn $3.30, $3.75, $4.50 or $5.25 based on your tier when the purchase posts to your account. For all other eligible card types, a purchase that earns 100 base points will actually earn 110, 125, 150, or 175 points, based on your tier when the purchase posts to your account. The BofA Rewards bonus also does not apply to the bonus earn for certain programs and is not applied to any account opening bonus or non-standard rewards that are part of a special offer, unless we indicate otherwise. If you enrolled in Preferred Rewards before May 26, 2026 your credit card account may be eligible for an extended card benefit. Visit the activity section of BofA Rewards for more details. Other terms and conditions apply. Please refer to your card's Program Rules for details about how you can receive the BofA Rewards bonus. Program Rules are mailed upon account opening and are accessible through the rewards redemption site via Online Banking or by calling the number on the back of your card. View a complete list of ineligible cards.
Footnote 
First Mortgage. The origination fee reduction and/or interest rate reductions are offered to clients who are enrolled or are eligible to enroll in BofA Rewards™, based on their rewards tier at the submittal of a mortgage loan application to Bank of America, N.A. for a new purchase or refinance loan (for co-borrowers, at least one applicant must be enrolled or eligible to enroll). The rewards tier is not subject to adjustment after the application is submitted. The origination fee reduction ($100 for Member tier, $300 for Preferred Plus tier and $600 for Preferred Honors tier) will not exceed the amount of the Lender Origination Fee. In order to receive the full Premier interest rate reduction of 0.375% the client must be approved for an eligible loan and enroll in PayPlan, our automatic payment service, designating an eligible Bank of America checking or savings account. To allow us to apply and disclose the interest rate reduction and close the loan timely, we encourage Premier tier clients to enroll in PayPlan as soon as possible and prior to the expected loan closing date. PayPlan is not available on VA and FHA products and Premier tier clients closing loans without PayPlan enrollment receive a 0.125% interest rate reduction benefit. For adjustable rate mortgages (except PrimeFirst®), the discounts are applied to the interest rate only during the initial fixed-rate period. For PrimeFirst® adjustable rate mortgages, the discount is applied to the margin and cannot reduce the margin below 0%. Some BofA Rewards benefits cannot be combined with other offers. All mortgage interest rate reduction offers may be subject to a maximum interest rate reduction limit. For further details, visit the BofA Rewards section of the Personal Schedule of Fees. BofA Rewards benefits are non-transferable and are not available with Custom Residential Real Estate financing. Credit and collateral subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. Programs, rates, terms and conditions subject to change without notice.
Footnote 
Auto Loan. BofA Rewards™ members who apply for an auto loan receive an interest rate discount of 0.10% for Member, 0.25% for Preferred Plus tier, 0.35% for Preferred Honors tier, and 0.50% for Premier tier based on their BofA Rewards tier at the time of auto loan application. The maximum BofA Rewards interest rate discount on a Bank of America auto loan is 0.50%. This interest rate discount is not reflected in all our published rates on our website but will be confirmed and reflected in the interest rate quoted upon loan approval. Discounts are only available on auto loan applications submitted by you directly to Bank of America through its website, Financial Centers, or Bank call centers. Discounts are not available for motor vehicle leases or for applications sourced from car dealerships, car manufacturers, or third-party branded/co-branded relationships. Benefit is non-transferable. Subject to credit approval. Standard underwriting guidelines and credit policies apply.
Footnote 
No Fee Banking Services. Refer to the Personal Schedule of Fees for information on which fees are waived with BofA Rewards™ and other program benefits.
Footnote 
BofA Rewards™ Lifestyle Benefits. You must be enrolled in the BofA Rewards™ program's Preferred Honors or Premier tiers to be eligible for lifestyle benefits or experiences. Lifestyle benefits are provided by third-party vendors not affiliated with Bank of America®. Terms and fulfillment of the offers are the responsibility of the third-party vendors, not of Bank of America. Bank of America does not provide your customer information to the third-party vendor, but by contacting them to take advantage of an offer you will identify yourself as a Bank of America customer. Some offers may be open only to a limited number of BofA Rewards members. Offers can change without notice. You must be 21 years of age or older to participate in offers which include alcohol.
Footnote 
BofA Rewards™ Subscription Credits. In order to be eligible for the subscription credit benefit, you must:

  1. Be enrolled in the BofA Rewards program's Preferred Honors or Premier tiers.
  2. Agree to the full terms of the subscription credit benefit from the subscription credit benefit page within BofA Rewards.
  3. Make payments directly to eligible merchants using your Bank of America debit card linked to a checking account that you designate via the subscription credit benefit page.
Preferred Honors tier members may receive statement credits up to $8 per month, and Premier tier members may receive up to $15 per month. Eligible merchants are subject to change without notice. Currently eligible merchants can be found on the subscription credit benefit page.

BofA Rewards is a trademark of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. All other trademarks are the trademarks of their respective owners.
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Investment products offered through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and insurance and annuity products offered through Merrill Lynch Life Agency Inc.:
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.

Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds: 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.

Closed End Funds: Expense Ratio – Gross Expense Ratio is the ratio of the fund's total annual operating expense (before waivers or reimbursements) to average net assets as of the date of the fund's most recent annual report. You should also review the fund's detailed annual operating expenses disclosed by the fund in its annual reports, semi-annual reports, and other public filings.

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 and other services. Additional information is available in our Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS) (PDF).

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.
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 SIPC popup and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("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 ("BofA Corp.").

Merrill Lynch Life Agency Inc. ("MLLA") is a licensed insurance agency and wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

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