Merrill Edge is a streamlined investment service that gives you the investment insights of Merrill Lynch and the convenience of Bank of America banking to help simplify your financial life.

With Merrill Edge, you can see your Merrill Edge investment and Bank of America bank accounts on one page online, along with access to tools, research, support, and competitive pricing for online trades.

It’s easy to get started with Merrill Edge. It takes minutes to open your account and you can fund it directly from your Bank of America bank account.

Additional Merrill Edge benefits include:

• Investing and banking on one page – See your Merrill Edge investment and Bank of America bank accounts with one log-in.
• Real-time transfers – Instantly move funds between your Merrill Edge investment and Bank of America bank accounts.
• Full range of investment offerings – Select from thousands of mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds and other investments using powerful screening tools to help you narrow down the ones that may be right for you.
• Research and tools – Make informed investment decisions with access to independent research, the insights of Merrill Lynch and easy-to-use tools.
• One-on-one support – Work with knowledgeable specialists for help opening, funding and navigating your investment account online.
• 401(k) rollover assistance – Roll over your 401(k) with support from a Merrill Edge rollover specialist by phone or in person at select banking centers.
• Access anytime, anywhere – See your Merrill Edge investment and Bank of America bank accounts – online, on your mobile device and at thousands of Bank of America ATMs.

Key Findings from the Merrill Edge Report

On May 13, 2013, Bank of America released the Merrill Edge Report, a semi-annual quantitative and qualitative study of the financial concerns and priorities of the mass affluent (consumers with $50,000-$250,000 in investable assets). Findings include:

Gen Y starting to plan for retirement earlier

Gen Y (ages 18-34) has been saving aggressively, averaging $55,000 already saved for retirement. Young investors are also starting to save much earlier, with an average starting age of 22, while baby boomers started saving on average 13 years later at the age of 35.

Mass affluent are making trade-offs to live the life they desire in retirement

Saving for retirement continues to be a top priority for the mass affluent. While they anticipate saving about $860,000 on average for retirement, more than half of respondents (54 percent) have less than $150,000 currently saved. Consequently, more than half (55 percent) of those not yet retired expect to retire later, which remains consistent with April 2012 and October 2012 findings.

Mass affluent parents are not compromising retirement savings to pay for college

Mass affluent parents are continuing to struggle with balancing the cost of their children’s college while saving for retirement. While cutting back and making trade-offs is essential, just 22 percent of mass affluent parents who saved or are saving for college said they would cut back significantly on their retirement savings to pay for their child to go to college.

Even with record high tuition rates, half (51 percent) of mass affluent parents will or have saved just $20,000 or less for their child’s entire college education, while nearly one in five (17 percent) mass affluent parents did not or will not save for their child’s college education at all.

Mass affluent are making lifestyle changes to pay down debt

Today, the mass affluent are optimistic about their financial futures. More than half (55 percent) of respondents believe they will have less debt over the next 10 years, while 33 percent believe they will have the same amount. About seven in 10 (67 percent) of those who believe they will have less debt 10 years from now plan to accomplish this by living a more frugal lifestyle.

Merrill Edge Report Methodology 
Ketchum Global Research & Analytics and Braun Research conducted the Merrill Edge Report survey by phone between March 1, 2013 and March 18, 2013 on behalf of Merrill Edge. Braun contacted a nationally representative sample of 1,013 Americans in the United States with investable assets between $50,000 and $249,999, and oversampled 300 mass affluent in Dallas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Calif., San Francisco, Northern New Jersey and South Florida. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent for the national sample and +/- 5.7 percent for the oversample markets, with both reported at a 95 percent confidence level.

To help inform the Merrill Edge Report, Communispace conducted a series of qualitative studies including interactive conversations, surveys, and other dynamic and exploratory activities with its proprietary online community of 300 mass affluent consumers.

Merrill Edge is available through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S), and consists of the Merrill Edge Advisory Center (investment guidance) and self-directed online investing.

News Releases and Additional Information

Press Releases

• May 13, 2013 — Implementing Lessons Learned During the Recession, Gen Y Prioritize Saving for Retirement
• Oct. 24, 2012 — Fewer Mass Affluent Americans Express Concerns About Retirement and Health Care Costs
• Apr. 26, 2012 — Mass Affluent Americans Push Back Retirement Date and Take Steps to Get on Track in Greater Numbers
• Mar. 22, 2012 — Bank of America Delivers New Online and Mobile Enhancements That Allow Merrill Edge® Customers to Invest Anywhere, Anytime
• Feb. 29, 2012 — Bank of America Launches Merrill Edge® Select Portfolios™
• Feb. 6, 2012 — J.D. Power and Associates Recognizes Merrill Edge® Call Centers for Customer Service Excellence
• Jan. 17, 2012 — Merrill Edge® Offers Lower Fees and Enhances Online Platform
• Nov. 29, 2011 — Recent Financial Hardship Inspires Mass Affluent Consumers to Tighten Wallets, Merrill Edge Report Finds
• Jan. 24, 2011 — Merrill Edge Offers Consumers Combined Capabilities From Bank of America and Merrill Lynch
• Jan. 24, 2011 — Bank of America Releases Inaugural Merrill Edge Report, an In-Depth Look at the Financial Concerns and Priorities of the Mass Affluent

Research Materials

• May 2013 — Merrill Edge Report
• May 2013 — Generation Y Infographic
• May 2013 — Retirement Planning Infographic
• May 2013 — College Savings Infographic
• May 2013 — Debt Infographic
• Oct. 2012 — Merrill Edge Report
• Oct. 2012 — Merrill Edge Report Video Presentation
• Oct. 2012 — Merrill Edge Report Life Stages Infographic
• Apr. 2012 — Merrill Edge Report
• Apr. 2012 — Merrill Edge Report Media Presentation
• Apr. 2012 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: Los Angeles
• Apr. 2012 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: San Francisco
• Nov. 2011 — Merrill Edge Report
• Nov. 2011 — Merrill Edge Report Media Presentation
• Nov. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: Los Angeles
• Nov. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: San Francisco
• Nov. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: Washington, D.C.
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Report
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Mass Affluent Infographic
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Age Break Fact Sheet
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Gender Fact Sheet
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Executive Summary
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: Chicago
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: Los Angeles
• Jan. 2011 — Merrill Edge Local Fact Sheet: San Francisco

Executive Biographies

• Dean Athanasia, Mass Affluent and Small Business Segment executive, Bank of America
• Alok Prasad, Merrill Edge executive
• John Thiel, head of U.S. Wealth Management and the Private Banking and Investment Group, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management

For More Information

For more information about Merrill Edge and the Merrill Edge Report, please contact Don Vecchiarello, Bank of America, 1.980.387.4899.