Merrill Pricing: Trading Commissions & Brokerage Fees (2024)

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Open an accountwith Merrill

Sometimes, you get more than you pay for

From $0 Stock TradesFootnote* to low‑cost managed accounts, learn how Merrill is earning your business.

Options contract and other fees may applyFootnote*

Merrill Edge Self-Directed Tradingtab selectedMerrill Guided Investing tabMerrill Guided Investing with an advisor tab

Self-Directed trading fees & commissions content selected

Invest your way with access to a wide range of stocks, options, bonds, ETFs and well-known mutual funds.

Stocks & ETFs

Unlimited $0 online stock and ETF trades with no trade or balance minimums.Footnote1

Other fees may applyFootnote*

$0

Select toOpen a Self-Directed account

Broker-assisted trades

$29.95Footnote*

Want $0 trades?Footnote*
Save with online trading.

Create your login now

Learn more about StocksLearn more about ETFs

Options

Get unlimited $0 online option trades with no trade or balance minimums.Footnote2

$0Footnote* + $0.65Footnote* per contract

Broker-assisted trades

$29.95Footnote* + $0.65 per contract

Exercised/assignedFootnote3

$0Footnote* per trade

Learn more about Options

Mutual FundsFootnote4

Load-waived funds

$0 per transaction

No load, no transaction fee funds (NTF)

$0 per online transaction

$39.95 short-term redemption applies if the fund is held less than 90 days.

No load, transaction fee funds (TF)

$19.95 per transaction

$29.95 broker-assisted transaction

Applies to buy, sell and exchanges.

Learn more about Mutual Funds

Fixed income & bondsFootnote5

Type(s)

Online trades

Broker-assisted trades

Type New issues including Brokered CDs.

Online trades $0

Broker-assisted trades $0

Type Treasuries, including Auction and SecondaryFootnote16

Online trades $0

Broker-assisted trades $29.95 per trade service charge

Type Other Secondary trades, Corporate Bonds, Municipal BondsFootnote5, and Government agencies.

Online trades $1 per bond

($10 min, $250 max)

Broker-assisted trades $1 per bond ($10 min, $250 max)

+ $29.95 per trade service charge

Learn more about Fixed Income and Bonds

Margin ratesFootnote6

Margin interest rates are determined by a few factors, including the base lending rate (which resets weekly), your debit balance and your overall relationship with Bank of America® and Merrill®.

For specific margin rates and our latest offers, please call us at 888.637.3343.

Learn more about Margin Lending

Merrill Edge Self‑Directed InvestingFootnote1

Additional fees and services by account

Transparent, comprehensive pricing. Affordable services on demand. Accounts to help you pursue every goal.

General Investing

Individual Brokerage, Joint Brokerage, Trust Account

Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Account fee

Minimum Investment

$0

CHECK WRITING & BILL PAYMENT

Web bill payment

Checkbooks(s)

Unlimited check writing

$0

Canceled check fee

$3

VISA DEBIT CARD

Merrill Edge CMA Access® Visa

Visa debit card

ATM transaction fee

$0

Not applicable to Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account

RETURN FEES

Returned deposit fee

$20

Not applicable to CMA, WCMA, BIA

Returned ACH debit fee

Returned check fee

$30

Not applicable to CMA, WCMA, BIA

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

Closeout fee

$0

Bond coupon fee

$5

Not applicable to Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account

Fund transfer services returns

$10

Not applicable to Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account, CMA, WCMA, BIA

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

Not applicable to Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account

Stop payment fee

$25

Not applicable to Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account

Full account transfer feeFootnote7

$49.95

Past due exchanges for physical securities

$50

Government security transfer fees

$125

Register & shipFootnote8

(non-government security)

$25 statement of security ownership (DRS eligible)

$500 physical certificate of security (non-DRS eligible)

Security reorganization

(mandatory & voluntary)

$0 mandatory

$30 voluntary

VISA TRANSACTION FEES

Not applicable to Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), Estate Account

Visa® International transaction fee

0.25% of principal

$2.50 minimum

Visa® advance cash fee

(non-ATM)

2% of the U.S. dollar amount of all transactions occurring outside the U.S. that are submitted to Visa® in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

Select toOpen a General Investing accountLearn more about General Investing accounts

Retirement

Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Inherited IRA

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Account fee

Minimum Investment

$0

CHECK WRITING & BILL PAYMENT

Web bill payment

Checkbooks(s)

Unlimited check writing

Canceled check fee

VISA DEBIT CARD

Merrill Edge CMA Access® Visa

Visa debit card

ATM transaction fee

RETURN FEES

Returned deposit fee

$20

Returned ACH debit fee

Returned check fee

$30

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

$0

Full account transfer fee

$0

Bond coupon fee

$5

Fund transfer services returns

$10

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

Stop payment fee

$25

Closeout fee

$49.95

Past due exchanges for physical securities

$50

Government security transfer fees

$125

Register & ship

(non-government security)

$25 statement of security ownership (DRS eligible)

$500 physical certificate of security (non-DRS eligible)

Security reorganization

$0 mandatory

$30 voluntary

VISA TRANSACTION FEES

Visa® International transaction fee

Visa® advance cash fee

(non-ATM)

Select toOpen a Retirement accountLearn more about Retirement accounts

Education

Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA), 529 Plan

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Account feeFootnote9

Minimum Investment

$0

$0 $25 for 529 Plan (Subsequent contributions $25 minimum)

CHECK WRITING & BILL PAYMENT

Not applicable for 529 Plans

Web bill payment

Checkbooks(s)

Unlimited check writing

$0

Canceled check fee

$3

VISA DEBIT CARD

Merrill Edge CMA Access® Visa

Visa debit card

ATM transaction fee

RETURN FEES

Returned deposit fee

$20

Returned ACH debit fee

Returned check fee

$30

$20 (for returned checks only in 529 Plan)

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

Closeout fee

$0

Bond coupon fee

$5

not applicable for 529 Plans

Fund transfer services returns

$10

not applicable for 529 Plans

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

$30.00 (for 529 Plans)

Stop payment fee

$25

not applicable for 529 Plans

Full account transfer fee

$49.95

Past due exchanges for physical securities

$50

not applicable for 529 Plans

Government security transfer fees

$125

not applicable for 529 Plans

Register & ship

(non-government security)

$25 statement of security ownership (DRS eligible)

$500 physical certificate of security (non-DRS eligible)

not applicable for 529 Plans

Security reorganization

(mandatory & voluntary)

$0 mandatory

$30 voluntary

not applicable for 529 Plans

VISA TRANSACTION FEES

Visa® International transaction fee

Visa® advance cash fee

(non-ATM)

Select toOpen an Education accountLearn more about Education accounts

Merrill Guided Investing content selected

While you manage life, we manage investing

Online

Merrill Guided Investing

An Investment Advisory Program

Just tell us your goal and Merrill investment professionals will build, monitor and rebalance your portfolio.Footnote12,13

Minimum investment

$

1,000

Annual Program Fee

0.45%

Calculated and assessed monthly based on your prior month's balance.Footnote10

Other fees may applyFootnotes**

New offer

$

program fee for 6 months for new enrollmentsFootnote15

Must use offer code: 6FREE

Footnotes**Conditions and other fees apply

What it means

If your account's balance at the end of May (for example) is $1,000, your fee for June would be less than $1. ($1,000 end-of-month balance Xmultiplied by .0045percent annual program fee)/divided by12 months = $0.38. This amount will vary monthly based on your month-end account balance.Footnote10

As a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, qualify for a reduced annual program fee — your 0.45% fee could be as low as 0.30%. For example if you have a Merrill Guided Investing account with a month end balance of $1,000, next month's fee would be $0.25 as a Platinum Honors member.Footnote14

Get started onlinewith Merrill Guided Investing

NEW OFFER

$0

program fees

Footnotes**Conditions and
fees apply

Get started with Merrill Guided Investing and pay $0 in program fees for 6 months.Footnote15

Open an accountat Merrill

Must use offer code: 6FREE

Get even more with Bank of America Preferred Rewards

Investment balances can help you earn Preferred Rewards benefits and pricing discounts. Members enjoy program benefits including credit card rewards bonuses, discounts on home and auto loans, monthly account maintenance fee waivers and more.Footnote14

Gold

$20K to <$50K

3-month combined average daily balance

Platinum

$50K to <$100K

3-month combined average daily balance

Platinum Honors

$100K to <$1MM

3-month combined average daily balance

Diamond

$1MM to <$10MM

3-month combined average daily balance

Merrill Guided Investing Online

Additional fees and services by account

Transparent, comprehensive pricing. Affordable services on demand. Fully managed accounts to help you pursue every goal.

General Investing

Individual Brokerage, Joint Brokerage, Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA)

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Program feeFootnote10

0.45%

Minimum Investment

$

1,000

RETURN FEES

Returned ACH debit fee

$0

Returned deposit fee

$20

Not applicable to CMA, WCMA, BIA

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee and Closeout fee

$0

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

Full account transfer fee

$49.95

Select toGet started with Guided InvestingLearn more about General Investing accounts

Retirement

Traditional IRA and Roth IRA

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Program feeFootnote10

0.45%

Minimum Investment

$

1,000

RETURN FEES

Returned ACH debit fee

$0

Returned deposit fee

$20

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

Closeout fee

$0

$49.95

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

Full account transfer fee

$0

Select toGet started with Guided InvestingLearn more about Retirement accounts

Education

Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA)

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Program feeFootnote10

0.45%

Minimum Investment

$

1,000

RETURN FEES

Returned ACH debit fee

$0

Returned deposit fee

$20

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

Closeout fee

$0

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

Full account transfer fee

$49.95

Select toGet started with Guided InvestingLearn more about Education accounts

Merrill Guided Investing content selected

While you manage life, we manage investing

Online with an Advisor

Merrill Guided Investing

An Investment Advisory Program

All the benefits of Merrill Guided Investing online plus guidance from an advisor along the wayFootnote12,13

Minimum investment

$

20,000

Annual Program Fee

0.85%

Calculated and assessed monthly based on your prior month's balance.Footnote11

Other fees may applyFootnotes**

What it means

If your account's balance at the end of May (for example) is $20,000, your fee for June would be less than $15. ($20,000 end-of-month balance Xmultiplied by .0085percent annual program fee)/divided by12 months = $14.17. This amount will vary monthly based on your month-end account balance.Footnote11

As a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, qualify for a reduced annual program fee —your 0.85% fee could be as low as 0.70%. For example if you have a Merrill Guided Investing account with a month end balance of $20,000, next month's fee would be $11.64 as a Platinum Honors member.Footnote12

Get startedwith Merrill Guided Investing with an advisor

Get even more with Bank of America Preferred Rewards

Investment balances can help you earn Preferred Rewards benefits and pricing discounts. Members enjoy program benefits including credit card rewards bonuses, discounts on home and auto loans, monthly account maintenance fee waivers and more.Footnote14

Gold

$20K to <$50K

3-month combined average daily balance

Platinum

$50K to <$100K

3-month combined average daily balance

Platinum Honors

$100K to <$1MM

3-month combined average daily balance

Diamond

$1MM to <$10MM

3-month combined average daily balance

Merrill Guided Investing Online with an Advisor

Additional fees and services by account

Transparent, comprehensive pricing. Affordable services on demand. Fully managed accounts to help you pursue every goal.

General Investing

Individual Brokerage, Joint Brokerage, Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA)

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Program feeFootnote11

0.85%

Minimum Investment

$

20,000

RETURN FEES

Returned ACH debit fee

$0

Returned deposit fee

$20

Not applicable to CMA, WCMA, BIA

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

Closeout fee

$0

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$30

Full account transfer fee

$95

Select toGet started with Guided InvestingLearn more about General Investing accounts

Retirement

Traditional IRA and Roth IRA

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Program feeFootnote11

0.85%

Minimum Investment

$

20,000

RETURN FEES

Returned ACH debit fee

$0

Returned deposit fee

$20

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

$0

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$30

Full account transfer fee

$0

Closeout fee

$75

Select toGet started with Guided Investing Learn more about Retirement accounts

Education

Custodial Brokerage (UGMA/UTMA)

ACCOUNT FEES

Annual Program feeFootnote11

0.85%

Minimum Investment

$

20,000

RETURN FEES

Returned ACH debit fee

$0

Returned deposit fee

$20

SPECIAL REQUEST FEES

Partial account transfer fee

Closeout fee

$0

Wire transfer fee

(domestic & international)

$24.95

Full account transfer fee

$49.95 (not charged in addition to closeout fee)

Select toGet started with Guided Investing Learn more about Education accounts

Ready to get started?

Select toOpen an account

or call us at 888.637.3343

Help when you need it. How you want it.

Call us

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 For international wire transfers, other fees may apply in lieu of our standard wire transfer fee. These fees include, but are not limited to, those charged by the recipient's financial institution, foreign taxes, currency conversion, and other fees that may be a part of the wire transfer process. Any additional fees are determined and disclosed at the time the transaction is entered.

When deciding between sending in foreign currency or U.S. Dollars, you should consider factors that impact the total cost to send or the amount available after transfer, such as exchange rates and other fees.

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.

Footnote

Exchange Traded Funds are subject to risks similar to those of stocks. Investment returns may fluctuate and are subject to market volatility, so that an investor's shares, when redeemed or sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

Footnote

Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Certain requirements must be met to trade options. Before engaging in the purchase or sale of options, investors should understand the nature of and extent of their rights and obligations and be aware of the risks involved in investing with options. Please read the options disclosure document titled "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (PDF)" before considering any option transaction. You may also call the Investment Center at 877.653.4732 for a copy. A separate client agreement is needed. Multi-leg option orders are charged one base commission per order, plus a per-contract charge.

The maximum loss, gain and breakeven of any options strategy only remains as defined so long as the strategy contains all original positions. Trading, rolling, assignment, or exercise of any portion of the strategy will result in a new maximum loss, gain and breakeven calculation, which will be materially different from the calculation when the strategy remains intact with all of the contemplated legs or positions. This is applicable to all options strategies inclusive of long options, short options and spreads. To learn more about Merrill's uncovered option handling practices, view Naked Option Stress Analysis (NOSA) (PDF).

Early assignment risk is always present for option writers (specific to American-style options only). Early assignment risk may be amplified in the event a call writer is short an option during the period the underlying security has an ex-dividend date. This is referred to as dividend risk.

Long options are exercised and short options are assigned. Note that American-style options can be assigned/exercised at any time through the day of expiration without prior notice. Options can be assigned/exercised after market close on expiration day. View specific Merrill Option Exercise & Assignment Practices (PDF).

Supporting documentation for any claims, comparison, recommendations, statistics, or other technical data, will be supplied upon request.

Footnote3 Exercise and assignment of cash settled options are subject to a $0.65 per-contract fee. Trades commissions for trades placed with a representative will not exceed 75% of trade amount.

Footnote

Mutual Funds: While no-load funds do not assess sales charges, fund shares are subject to management fees and certain other expenses. Redemption fees may also apply. Merrill Lynch receives remuneration from participating fund companies. In addition to receiving dealer concessions and asset-based sales charges and/or services fees in connection with clients' purchasing and holding mutual fund shares, Merrill Lynch and its affiliates provide other services for which they may receive additional compensation from funds or their affiliates. This compensation is generally disclosed in a fund's prospectus which is available from an Investment Center representative and in the Guide to Mutual Fund Investing (PDF). For specific mutual fund family compensation information, please contact the Investment Center.

Footnote

Fixed Income: Fixed income orders contain order information on Agency Discounts/Notes/Bonds, Certificates of Deposit, Corporate Bonds, Municipal Bonds and Treasury Bond investment vehicles.

Footnote

A Brokered Certificate of Deposit is different than a bank Certificate of Deposit. It is sold for a bank by a broker while a Certificate of Deposit can be purchased directly from a bank. Brokered CDs may offer higher rates of return, but their value may fluctuate with changing interest rates. Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A. and affiliated banks. Members FDIC and wholly owned subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.

Footnote

When you purchase securities, you may pay for the securities in full, or if your account has been established as a margin account with the margin lending program, you may borrow part of the purchase price from Merrill. If you choose to borrow funds for your purchase, Merrill's collateral for the loan will be the securities purchased, other assets in your margin account, and your assets in any other accounts at Merrill. If the securities in your margin account decline in value, so does the value of the collateral supporting your loan, and, as a result, we can take action, such as to issue a margin call and/or sell securities in any of your accounts held with us, in order to maintain the required equity in your account. If your account has a Visa® card and/or checks, you may also create a margin debit if your withdrawals (by Visa card, checks, preauthorized debits, FTS or other transfers) exceed the sum of any available free credit balances plus available money account balances (such as bank deposit balances or money market funds). Please refer to your account documents for more information.

Before opening a margin account, you should carefully review the terms governing margin loans. For Individual Investor Accounts, these terms are contained in the Margin Lending Program Client Agreement. For all other accounts, the terms are in your account agreement and disclosures. It is important that you fully understand the risks involved in using margin. These risks include the following:

  • You can lose more funds than you deposit in the margin account. A decline in the value of securities that are bought on margin may require you to provide additional funds to us to avoid the forced sale of those securities or other securities in your account(s).
  • We can force the sale of securities in your account(s). If the equity in your account falls below the maintenance margin requirements or Merrill's higher "house" requirements, we can sell the securities in any of your accounts held by us to cover the margin deficiency. You also will be responsible for any shortfall in the account after such as sale.
  • We can sell your securities without contacting you. Some investors mistakenly believe that they must be contacted for a margin call to be valid, and that securities in their accounts cannot be liquidated to meet the call unless they are contacted first. This is not the case. We will attempt to notify you of margin calls, but we are not required to do so. Even if we have contacted you and provided a specific date by which you can meet a margin call, we can still take necessary steps to protect our financial interests, including immediately selling the securities without notice to you.
  • You are not entitled to choose which securities in your account(s) are liquidated or sold to meet a margin call. Because the securities are collateral for the margin loan, we have the right to decide which security to sell in order to protect our interests.
  • We can increase our "house" maintenance margin requirements at any time including on specific securities experiencing significant volatility and are not required to provide you advance written notice. These changes in our policy may take effect immediately and may result in the issuance of a maintenance margin call. Your failure to satisfy the call may cause us to liquidate or sell securities in your account(s).
  • You are not entitled to an extension of time on a margin call. While an extension of time to meet margin requirements may be available to you under certain conditions, you don't have a right to the extension.

If you have any questions or concerns about margin and the margin lending program, please contact the Merrill Investment Center at 855.332.5920.

Footnote7 The fee is not charged when transferring to another internal account.

Footnote

DRS Eligible refers to securities held electronically at transfer agent (Direct Registration System). Non-DRS Eligible security fee is equal to amount charged to Merrill Edge by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation.

Footnote

The NextGen Plan is a Section 529 plan administered by the Finance Authority of Maine. Before you invest in the NextGen plan, request a NextGen College Investing Plan Program Description from us and read it carefully. The Program Description contains more complete information, including investment objectives, charges, expenses and risks of investing in the NextGen plan, which you should carefully consider before investing. You also should consider whether your home state or your designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's 529 plan. Section 529 plans are not guaranteed by any state or federal agency. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated is the program manager, underwriter and distributor.

Footnote10 There is an annual program fee of 0.45% based on the assets held in the account. This fee is charged monthly in advance.

Footnote11 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

Asset allocation, diversification, and rebalancing do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

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 circ*mstances 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.

Preferred Rewards Program Eligibility. You can enroll, and maintain your membership, in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program if you have an active, eligible personal checking account with Bank of America® and maintain the balance required for one of the balance tiers. The balance tiers are $20,000 for the Gold tier, $50,000 for the Platinum tier, $100,000 for the Platinum Honors tier, $1,000,000 for the Diamond tier and $10,000,000 for the Diamond Honors tier. Balances include your combined, qualifying Bank of America deposit accounts (such as checking, savings, certificate of deposit) and/or your Merrill investment accounts (such as Cash Management Accounts, 529 Plans). You can satisfy the combined balance requirement for enrollment with either:

  1. a three-month combined average daily balance in your qualifying deposit and investment accounts, or
  2. a current combined balance, provided that you enroll at the time you open your first eligible personal checking account and satisfy the balance requirement at the end of at least one day within 30 days of opening that account.

Refer to your Personal Schedule of Fees for details on accounts that qualify towards the combined balance calculation and receive program benefits. Eligibility to enroll is generally available three or more business days after the end of the calendar month in which you satisfy the requirements. Benefits become effective within 30 days of your enrollment, or for new accounts within 30 days of account opening, unless we indicate otherwise. Bank of America Private Bank clients qualify to enroll in the Diamond Tier regardless of balance and may qualify for the Diamond Honors tier based on their qualifying Bank of America, Merrill and Private Bank balances. Certain benefits are also available without enrolling in Preferred Rewards if you satisfy balance and other requirements. For details on Bank of America employee qualification requirements, please call Employee Financial Services or refer to the Bank of America intranet site. Employees of companies participating in the Bank of America Employee Banking and Investing Program may be eligible to participate on customized terms. Refer to CEBI Program for details.

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

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 circ*mstances, 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.

Footnote16 Treasury auction trades are not available online at this time.

MAP6062278-11012024

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.

Investment products offered through MLPF&S and insurance and annuity products offered through MLLA:

Are Not FDIC InsuredAre Not Bank GuaranteedMay Lose Value
Are Not DepositsAre Not Insured by Any Federal Government AgencyAre Not a Condition to Any Banking Service or Activity

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© 2024 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Merrill Pricing: Trading Commissions & Brokerage Fees (2024)

FAQs

How much commission does Merrill Lynch charge? ›

* You pay a commission equal to the lesser of 15.00% of the principal value of the transaction or $65. By working with an Advisor, you can access a wide range of investment products for your brokerage account.

Does Merrill Lynch have trading fees? ›

Free and $0 means there is no commission charged for these trades. 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.

Is Merrill a good trading platform? ›

Merrill Edge is a good choice for long-term investors, especially those who already have an account with Bank of America. The Preferred Rewards program offers discounts and perks that increase with your balance—so you could benefit by having deposit and investment accounts under the same roof.

What is the management fee for Merrill? ›

The bottom line: Merrill Guided Investing requires a $1,000 minimum investment and charges an annual management fee of 0.45%.

Are Merrill Lynch fees high? ›

Paying close to $1 million fees should make you feel a little queasy if you are a client of Merrill Lynch, even if your portfolio grows into the multi-millions. Their average advisory fee percentage is 1.30% and their average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio is 0.76% for a total fee of roughly 2%.

What is the average trading broker commission? ›

The standard commission for full-service brokers today is between 1% to 2% of a client's managed assets.

Is Merrill Lynch a full service brokerage firm? ›

Merrill is both a full-service registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser. We offer a wide variety of brokerage and investment advisory products and solutions.

Is Merrill Lynch a full service broker? ›

Merrill is both a full service broker-dealer and a registered investment adviser, and offers a wide variety of brokerage and investment advisory products and services.

How to trade with Merrill Lynch? ›

Stock trading at a glance
  1. Open an investment account at Merrill Edge.
  2. Transfer money to your account.
  3. Find a stock or ETF that you want to buy on the trading platform.
  4. Buy the stock(s) or ETF(s)
  5. Review your positions regularly.
  6. Sell as you see fit.

Is Merrill good for day trading? ›

Merrill Edge offers everyday investors access to everything they need (and more) to manage an investment portfolio through the Merrill Edge website. For active traders, Merrill Edge offers its MarketPro desktop trading platform, which is feature-rich but not suitable for day trading.

Which is better Merrill or Fidelity? ›

🏆 Winner: Fidelity offers the better trade experience with high-quality trade execution. Both offer amazing, browser-based trading platforms, but Active Trader Pro and Wealth-Lab Pro offer more options and resources for investors.

Is Merrill good for beginners? ›

Is Merrill Edge good for beginners? Yes. It's not quite as user-friendly as Robinhood, but few apps are. Merrill Edge is special in that it integrates with Bank of America accounts to offer users an all-in-one bank brokerage platform.

What is the best brokerage account? ›

Best Online Brokerage Accounts and Trading Platforms of 2024
  • Best Overall: Fidelity.
  • Best for Low Costs: Fidelity.
  • Best for Beginners: Charles Schwab.
  • Best for Advanced Traders: Interactive Brokers.
  • Best for ETFs: Fidelity.
  • Best for Options Trading: tastytrade.
  • Best for International Trading: Interactive Brokers.

What are the fees for Merrill Guided Investing with advisor? ›

Account Overview
Account Minimum$1,000, or $20,000 with an advisor
FeesOnline only—0.45% AUM fee; with advisor—0.85%; discounts available for Bank of America Preferred Rewards participants
Goal PlanningEight general categories, including retirement, general investing, home, education, travel, and more
10 more rows

Is Merrill Lynch a good advisor? ›

Merrill Guided Investing may appeal to those looking for a sophisticated, premium robo-advisor experience. For starters, it's one of the only robos out there to offer some level of active management, providing investment portfolios designed and managed by the experts at Merrill (formerly known as Merrill Lynch).

Does Merrill Edge have commissions? ›

Like many brokers, both Merrill Edge and Vanguard charge no commissions on stock and ETF trades. Additionally, there are also no per-leg commissions options trades.

How much do top Merrill Lynch advisors make? ›

Total Salary Range for Merrill Financial Advisor

The estimated total pay range for a Financial Advisor at Merrill is $140K–$258K per year, which includes base salary and additional pay. The average Financial Advisor base salary at Merrill is $88K per year.

What are the fees for Merrill Guided Investing with Advisor? ›

Account Overview
Account Minimum$1,000, or $20,000 with an advisor
FeesOnline only—0.45% AUM fee; with advisor—0.85%; discounts available for Bank of America Preferred Rewards participants
Goal PlanningEight general categories, including retirement, general investing, home, education, travel, and more
10 more rows

Is 1.25 percent too much for a financial advisor? ›

While the typical annual financial advisor fee is thought to be 1%, according to a 2023 study by Advisory HQ, the average financial advisor fee is 0.59% to 1.18% per year. However, rates typically decrease the more money you invest with them.

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