Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program

Taking a personalized approach to investing, tailored to your goals and values

There are a lot of considerations when it comes to your investments. What do you want to achieve with your wealth? How much risk are you willing to take? What does your timeline look like?

Your portfolio should reflect the goals, aspirations and values that make you unique. Your Merrill financial advisor can help you create a personalized approach that incorporates your preferences and values alongside professionally managed portfolios, grounded in our investment guidance and the best thinking from Merrill and Bank of America.

One way to put this kind of strategy in place is through the Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program. If it meets your needs, you can work with your dedicated Merrill advisor to put your plan in action and access:

	Professionally managed portfolios and separately managed accounts, constructed and managed by Merrill investment professionals and other leading investment managers
	A wide range of investment solutions, including stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds, tax efficient strategies, alternative investments and annuities
	World-class insights from our Chief Investment Office and BofA Global Research
	Tax efficient management services that may help you potentially mitigate the impact of taxes in your portfolio
	The ability to align your investments with your personal preferences or to avoid certain companies or industries
	Ongoing monitoring and regular reviews of your investment advisory account
	A holistic view of your wealth, delivered as part of regular performance reports and through an interactive video account overview
	Fiduciary advice and guidance from a dedicated advisor that is personalized for your financial situation, preferences and values
	Control over decisions about how you work with your advisor and who makes day-to-day investment decisions

Further customization is available for eligible clients*

Certain clients may be able to invest in Premium Access Strategies, which allow you to negotiate terms, reporting and fees directly with the investment manager, providing an enhanced way to personalize your investment approach.

If you work with a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor, you will be able to access certain managed investment strategies under the Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program.

Watch this video to learn more:

Personalizing your investments

If you choose to enroll in the Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program, you can also personalize your investments to align with your goals, values and preferences. See how personalization can work for you in the video and client stories below.

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Young couple sitting on a couch

Meet Kate & Ryan…

Managing taxes in their portfolio
Kate and Ryan worked with their advisor to build a personalized portfolio that will help them grow their wealth for the long term.
For each eligible investment, their advisor helped them put in place investment strategies that focus on managing taxes efficiently to potentially maximize the after-tax value of their investments. They were also able to develop a plan to help them fund their children’s education.

A man in a suit

Meet Daniel…

Personalizing his investments
Daniel has accumulated a large position of shares at the software company he works for. He worked with his advisor to customize his holdings to avoid additional exposure to software companies and build a diversified retirement portfolio. He was also able to set up distinct investment approaches to help fund the purchase of a vacation home and charitable giving in the future.

Meet Michelle & Ron…

Creating impact with their wealth
Michelle and Ron are busy executives who are always on the move. They want to create an impact with the wealth they have accumulated, so they worked with their advisor to craft an approach that allows them to invest aggressively while also selecting strategies with a specific environmental and social impact. And with Merrill digital tools, they are able to easily monitor their progress and the impact of their investments, wherever they are.

It all starts with a conversation

You can choose from a range of ways to invest based on your individual objectives, investment style, need for ongoing advice and interest in particular solutions. Refer to the Client Relationship Summary to learn more about the different ways you can work with a Merrill financial advisor to pursue your goals.

To evaluate your options and determine if the Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program may be right for you, schedule a discussion with your financial advisor.

* To invest in Premium Access Strategies, you must have at least $5 million in combined assets at Merrill and Bank of America OR over $10 million in investable assets (including assets outside of Merrill and Bank of America). For clients where Bank of America N.A. provides trust, fiduciary, and investment management services, the minimum is $20 million in combined assets at Merrill and Bank of America N.A.

Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The scenarios provided are for illustrative purposes only, are intended to demonstrate the capabilities of Merrill, are not based on actual clients and do not indicate future performance or outcomes. They are not intended to serve as investment advice since the availability and effectiveness of any strategy is dependent upon your individual facts and circumstances. Results will vary, and no suggestion is made about how any specific solution or strategy performed in reality.

Merrill its affiliates and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. Clients should consult their legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

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.

There is no guarantee that investments applying ESG strategies will be successful, there are many factors to take into consideration when choosing an investment portfolio and ESG data is only one component to potentially consider.

The Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program is an investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill. Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. All recommendations must be considered in the context of an individual investor’s goals, time horizon, liquidity needs and risk tolerance. Not all recommendations will be in the best interest of all investors. For more information about the Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program, including our fiduciary responsibilities, you may obtain a copy of the Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure by accessing the SEC website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

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