the retirement group at merrill lynch - benefits online · would recommend the retirement group at...

The Retirement Group at Merrill Lynch

Making complex decisions simple and essential tasks easy for retirement, benefi t, and executive plan managers and their employees

Merrill Lynch is committed to being a trusted advisor —— both to our plan

sponsor clients and the employees that work for them. Our integrated suite

of benefi t solutions provides the services our clients want in the manner that

works best for them. We put the total resources of Merrill Lynch to work,

offering access to an open architecture investment platform coupled with

holistic advisory and consultation programs to help our clients mitigate risk

and manage their fi duciary responsibility.

Our approach is simple and time-tested. We work with our clients to design

programs that meet their specifi c needs and deliver innovative solutions to

enable them —— and their employees —— to make educated choices that help

ensure fi nancial success and the ability to “Achieve Life.”

The Retirement Group at Merrill Lynch partners

with businesses to help individuals achieve

fi nancial success. We make complex decisions

simple and essential tasks easy —— even automatic

—— for both employers and employees.

The Retirement Group is a team of benefi t

professionals focused on your needs. We take

the time to get to know you, your company and

your employees. Then we bring together great

ideas and bright people to work with you in

crafting solutions —— a team of professionals to

help you create, monitor and manage any or all

of your retirement, benefi t, executive and equity

compensation programs.

Looked at another way, the Retirement Group is

like getting several exceptional service providers

all rolled into one. Often, getting exemplary

products, services and access to a broad range

of investments means working with multiple

providers. At Merrill Lynch, we’re proud to offer

comprehensive solutions for:

Defi ned Contribution Plans —— 401(k),

Profi t Sharing, SEP and SIMPLE Plans.

Defi ned Benefi t Plans —— Traditional and

Cash Balance Plans.

Nonqualifi ed Deferred Compensation Plans.

403(b) and 457 Programs (Available through

our MLConnect and alliance partners).

Equity Award Services.

Executive Services.

Institutional Trust, Custody and Pension

Payment Services.

Rollover, Traditional and Roth Individual

Retirement Accounts.

Health Savings Accounts.

Section 529 College Savings Plans.

Simplifying the Plan

• The Merrill Lynch Participant Service Center has been certifi ed for providing “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience” for fi ve years in a row (2005 – 2009) by J.D. Power and Associates.1

• Our retirement plan participant statements consistently receive the Dalbar Seal of Excellence. The Defi ned Contribution statement has been rated “Excellent” for the past 10 years and the Total Retirement statement for the past three years.2

• For four years in a row (2005 – 2008), almost 90 percent of our clients said they would recommend the Retirement Group at Merrill Lynch as a provider.3

Focusing on your plan and the needs of your employees

2

1 For certifi cation status, a call center operation must perform within the top 20 percent of customer service, based on J.D. Power and Associates’ cross industry customer satisfaction research. For J.D. Power and Associates Certifi ed Call Center Program information, visit www.jdpower.com.

2 DALBAR, Inc., a leading fi nancial services research fi rm, annually reviews Defi ned Contribution and Total Retirement statements from a variety of fi nancial services providers.

3 Ratings are based on results from plan sponsors who replied to the annual PLANSPONSOR DC Survey questionnaires. For additional survey details, please refer to the November issues of PLANSPONSOR Magazine or visit www.plansponsor.com. PLANSPONSOR is a registered service mark of Asset International, Inc.

Sponsor’s JobWe help plan sponsors:

Show employees the value of all their

retirement, benefi t and compensation program

related benefi ts —— by offering information and

modeling tools that demonstrate how various

plans work together to increase the likelihood

of fi nancial success.

Meet fi duciary requirements and reduce

litigation exposure —— by providing helpful

guidance and drafting many required fi lings for

your review and signature.

Enhance the effectiveness of your plans ——

by providing regular analysis of your programs

and personal advice to executives regarding

their investments, equity awards and deferred

compensation.

Choose investment menus and funding

mechanisms —— from a wide array of options,

for all types of plans.

Focus on key issues —— by handling day-to-day

plan services and employee questions for you,

then keeping you abreast of the latest trends and

best practices in the industry.

Administer the complexities of equity award

programs —— including stock options, restricted

stock, stock appreciation rights and

performance awards.

Meet the fi nancial reporting obligations

associated with equity awards ——

by providing you with robust tools to help

you comply with FAS 123(R).

Facilitate the trading strategies of

your executives —— through the use of

Rule 10b5-1 plans.

Meet SEC reporting requirements —— by offering

same-day communication of company stock

sales for Section 16 offi cers and directors.

Measure performance —— from the return on

investments, to call center service levels, to the

effect of communications on plan participation.

In brief, we make your job easier and enhance

understanding, utilization and perceptions of the

benefi ts offered by your organization.

3

The Assistance You Want, Merrill Lynch’s integrated approach to retirement,

benefi t and compensation programs means our

Web site, service representatives and participant

communications all work together to give you,

and your employees, complete and concise

information about every plan we serve ——

defi ned contribution, defi ned benefi t, equity or

deferred compensation.

And, most importantly, you —— and your employees

—— get the level of assistance you want, when

you want it, using your preferred method of

communication.

The Benefi ts OnLine® Web site —— In one secure location, virtually all

Merrill Lynch benefi ts accounts can be

accessed, transactions made, savings plans

created, tools utilized, and comprehensive

investment and educational information

viewed. Individuals can also access integrated

information and statements for all their

employer-sponsored plan accounts. As plan

sponsor, you can view individual accounts,

analyze overall plan statistics and access

standardized and custom e-reports.

Get information online, by phone, or by automated response

4

Merrill Lynch is committed to providing faster and safer ways for participants to receive their statements, confi rmations and prospectuses

through online delivery channels.

When You Want It

At Merrill Lynch, we are committed to continually providing faster and safer ways for participants to

receive their statements, confi rmations and prospectuses through online delivery channels. As the

plan sponsor, you have the option to choose online delivery as the default for your entire plan, or

for a select population. And participants may make delivery elections quickly and easily via Benefi ts

OnLine virtually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In either case, you can rest assured that employees

have secure access to their information when they want it —— and how they want it.

And of course, our fi nancial advisors and dedicated relationship managers are also available to help

with investment strategies, educating your employees, and decision making. No matter what plan or

access point they choose, your participants will receive comprehensive, integrated information and

guidance.

Our speech-enabled Interactive Voice Response system —— featuring

Virtual Hold RendezvousTM and Virtual Hold

ConciergeTM functionality,4 responds to

simple voice commands —— or choices made

using the telephone keypad. Participants can

obtain balances, get quotes or investment

information, access information about all their

employer-sponsored plans, and for most plans

—— perform transactions in their accounts. Using

Concierge and Rendezvous, our latest offerings,

participants can even request a call back from a

representative during peak call volumes instead

of holding on the line, or schedule a time to

speak with a representative at a later date.

Participant Service Center representatives —— available from 8 a.m.

to 7 p.m. (ET) on all days the New York Stock

Exchange is open, providing personal service to

your employees. Staffed with approximately 300

Series 7 and Series 63 licensed professionals,

these highly trained specialists stand ready to

serve you and your employees. We even feature

a dedicated team of Retirement Education

specialists who specialize in assisting employees

with analyzing distribution options and/or making

rollover decisions. Our facility leverages the latest

call center technology and desktop functionality,

resulting in consistent, high-quality service.

With our innovative, all-encompassing “Merrill@Work” program, you can provide employees holistic advice, education and assistance, not only with their company benefi t and compensation programs, but with personal fi nance issues like budgeting, asset management, debt management and saving for college.

5

4 Virtual Hold Rendezvous and Virtual Hold Concierge are trademarks of Virtual Hold® Technology.

6

Extensive Choices Merrill Lynch offers an extensive array

of mutual funds, collective trusts, and other investment options

from leading investmentmanagement fi rms,

providing maximum fl exibility in investment menu design.

A full range of investment offerings and services

7

We offer a comprehensive range of investment

solutions tailored to the needs of your business,

your plan and your employees —— from Fortune

500 corporations to small businesses.

Merrill Lynch offers an extensive array

of mutual funds, collective trusts and other

investment options from leading investment

management fi rms and an open architecture

investment policy, allowing for maximum

fl exibility in investment menu design.

Our proprietary funds are managed by BlackRock,

one of the world’s largest investment management

fi rms. BlackRock provides a range of investments

including mutual funds, collective trusts, and

individually tailored portfolio strategies.

With our expansive lineup of proprietary

and non-proprietary options to choose from,

you can create a full range of investment

offerings and services tailored to your needs

and those of your employees.

Offered through a partnership with an

independent registered investment advisor,

The Newport Group, our MenuAdvisor®

service can help you simplify the investment

menu selection process. MenuAdvisor

offers professional advice and assistance

with analyzing your plan menu, creating

an investment policy statement, choosing

appropriate plan investments and monitoring

and managing your investment menu.

. . . Flexible Solutions

Less than 20 percent of American workers say they are “very confi dent” about having enough money

for retirement.5 Making it easy to enroll, change contribution levels, choose investments and make good

decisions is an essential part of our strategy for any participant-directed plan. At Merrill Lynch we embody

this approach with a comprehensive array of information, education and advice tools.

We offer investor education and targeted communications through our Achieve Life program, which

encourage employees to take action using hard-hitting campaigns. The messages are aimed toward

those who need to make a decision or take steps that may better prepare them for retirement. Our

targeted campaigns use a combination of eye-catching graphics, memorable messages, and multiple

impressions to get results.

Important messages are reinforced through written and on-line communications, worksite meetings and

posters, recorded presentations and pod casts. Information is also provided in person or by phone through

a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor, and special assistance is available for employees who are transitioning

to retirement or to a new employer.

Helping Your Employees Practical, unbiased answers to employee questions

8

5 Employee Benefi t Research Institute’s 18th Annual Retirement Confi dence Survey (2007).6 Merrill Lynch Targeted Communication Campaigns, March 2007.

Defi ned Contribution Solutions

Employees are kept informed via printed and online communications, worksite meetings and posters, recorded messages and pod casts.

“Achieve Life”

9

Targeted campaigns have encouraged employees

to save more ——12% of targeted employees

increased their contributions.The average contribution

rate increased from 2.8% to 6.5%.6

We offer simple-source investments that allow employees to diversify and regularly rebalance their 401(k)

with just one decision.

Merrill Lynch Advice Access provides specifi c, unbiased savings and investment recommendations

to each 401(k) participant. This unique service answers employee questions like, “How much should

I save?” and “What investments should I choose?”. Recommendations are developed by an independent

investment expert, Ibbotson Associates, based on information provided by you, the plan sponsor.

Recommendations can be further personalized based on input from the participant. And Merrill Lynch

stands behind the advice given by accepting fi duciary responsibility for delivery of the service.

Simple-source investment solutions

Merrill Lynch helps your participants make the investment decisions that best suit

their goals and risk tolerance.

10

11

PersonalManagerSM, offered through Merrill Lynch Advice Access, chooses investments for the

employee, then regularly and automatically rebalances and reallocates the employee’s account.

Designed for those who prefer to have their 401(k) professionally managed, PersonalManager is also an

excellent default investment, quickly assisting those who fail to make an initial investment decision.

Over 80% of participants using Merrill Lynch Advice Access are using PersonalManager. And, approximately half of the plans offering Merrill Lynch Advice Access are using PersonalManager as a default investment.7

The GoalManagerSM Portfolio Rebalancing Service offers both risk based and target date

portfolio models. Employees can use the tools we provide to assess their personal risk tolerance,

and then choose an appropriate risk based portfolio model. Or, they can simply select their planned

retirement date, and then invest in the corresponding target date portfolio model. Either way, their

diversifi ed investment will regularly and automatically be rebalanced, ensuring employees stay on the

right track. Target date portfolio models are also automatically refi ned to reduce risk as the employee

approaches retirement. Both types of GoalManager portfolio models use the plan’s underlying funds, for

which you regularly perform due diligence, to create a diversifi ed8 investment alternative.

PersonalManager and GoalManager can both be Qualifi ed Default Investment Alternatives (QDIAs), which can help provide your fi rm important fi duciary protection. Merrill Lynch also offers a wide array of additional QDIA-eligible target date, balanced and managed account options.

Target date investments, offered through 20 of our fund alliance partners, provide another asset

allocation solution. These investments, which generally consist of proprietary funds from the investment

company managing the overall fund, adjust the mix of investments to become more conservative as the

employee approaches the selected target retirement date.

The Merrill Lynch Self-Direct BrokerageSM service accommodates those employees who may

want to choose from a much wider range of mutual funds or trade individual stocks, bonds and even

more sophisticated investments within their company-sponsored plan. With self-direct brokerage, you

can provide more choice to those who need it, as well as access to investment experts, while keeping

your core investment menu simple.

7 Merrill Lynch plan data as of December 31, 2008.8 Diversifi cation does not ensure a profi t or protect against loss.

Helping participants diversify and rebalance

Automatic Programs—— People don’t

always act in their own best interest ——

sometimes lacking the inclination or the skill to

take necessary steps to prepare for retirement.9

Additionally, employees who lack the time to plan

for retirement often pass up valuable benefi ts

by failing to take action. Recent regulatory and

legislative changes have made the time ripe for

“automated” programs. As part of your defi ned

contribution plan, Merrill Lynch can help you

implement:

Automatic enrollment.

Automatic investment selection.

Automatic contribution increases.

Automatic investment management

in retirement.

Like cruise control on an automobile, these

automatic features are designed to assist

employees in reaching their retirement

“destination.” As the plan sponsor, you can decide

to add any or all of these features to your plan,

and your employees are free to use them, or not.

It’s your decision —— and theirs. Each of these

features is designed to help your employees on

their way to a fi nancially successful retirement.

And, by providing the opportunity to increase

participation at all levels of your organization,

automated programs may help you meet certain

regulatory and fi duciary obligations.

The “make it easy or make it automatic”

philosophy also guides our service model for

defi ned benefi t plans, equity plans, executive

plans, rollovers and more.

Our professionals help make it easier for

you to assess, refi ne and manage all your

benefi t programs in an integrated fashion.

We can help you evaluate the performance

of investments in your pension plan, or

choose the best funding mechanism for

your nonqualifi ed plan.

Our trading and reporting platforms make

it easier for issuers and executives to

properly track, execute and report equity

awards and stock sales.

We do our best to simplify every instance

of decision-making and implementation for

employers and employees, no matter what type

of plan or savings vehicle is being utilized.

9 2007 Department of Labor National Compensation Survey.

12

Making it easy or making it automatic

Easing the burden on plan sponsors and employees

Whether you’re looking for a bundled solution,

individual services, or administration of a “frozen”

plan, we can ease the burden of managing your

defi ned benefi t program. Through an alliance

with Milliman, a leading provider of actuarial

consulting and an innovator in recordkeeping

technology, we offer:

Administration and recordkeeping.

Actuarial services.

Trust, custody and pension payment services.

Government reporting and compliance services.

Merrill Lynch’s experienced professionals

will work closely with you to help you

evaluate investment alternatives, including:

More than 4,500 mutual funds from more

than 133 fund families.

Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs).

The Merrill Lynch Consults® service ——

offering you the expertise of investment

managers prescreened by Merrill Lynch

and performance measurement through

the Asset Information and Measurement

Service (AIM®).

The Merrill Lynch Strategic Portfolio

Advisor Program® (SPA) —— providing you

a comprehensive package of consulting,

investment and account services, as well as

performance measurement through AIM.

Merrill Lynch also offers non-discretionary trust

services through nine regional trust companies

located throughout the United States. Merrill

Lynch Bank & Trust Co., FSB can serve as trustee

for your plan and provide complete employee

benefi t trust services.

Our participant services are diverse and are

available online and by phone. And, information

on all your plans is fully integrated, so employees

can clearly see how their 401(k), pension, equity,

nonqualifi ed deferred compensation and other

benefi ts work together.

Benefi ts OnLine, our integrated Web site,

allows employees to:

Enroll online.

Generate a pension benefi t calculation.

Establish or change benefi ciaries.

Review and print information, including a

“plan highlights” brochure and summary plan

description.

View and print special forms.

Use retirement planning and modeling tools.

Review current market value of accounts.

Additionally, registered representatives in our

Participant Service Center are available by phone,

toll-free, to answer questions and assist your

employees.

13

Defi ned Benefi t Plans

We do our best to simplify every instance of decision-making and implementation for employers and employees.

At Merrill Lynch, we understand that board

members and top executives have high

expectations and that outstanding service is

essential. We have the people, the processes

and the technology to ensure the needs of

these key constituents are met. We also make

it easier for both plan sponsors and participants

to meet complex regulatory and reporting

requirements associated with deferred

compensation and equity award plans.

Financing the liability and managing the cash

fl ow required is critical to your deferred

compensation plan. We’ll help you review

your fi nancing options and explore the

plan’s overall effectiveness. Our investment

consultants can provide the data and insights

you need to make a fi nal decision based

on your company’s specifi c situation.

Working in partnership with Merrill Lynch,

your company will be in a position to better

predict cash fl ow requirements, or the

value of informal funding solutions, such as

Corporate Owned Life Insurance (COLI). We

can also work with you to develop fi nancing

strategies to address pre-tax or after-tax

liabilities. And, our investment consultants

can provide the insights, experience and data

you need to make a fi nal fi nancing decision

based on your company’s specifi c situation.

We also provide:

A single point of contact and integrated

service experience for all plans ——

Defi ned Contribution, Defi ned Benefi t,

Nonqualifi ed Deferred Compensation

and Equity.

A designated team of registered

representatives in our Participant Service

Center who are available to answer questions,

conduct detailed analyses of various options,

and execute distribution elections.

Web-based enrollment and

distribution management.

Asset allocation and rebalancing to

meet informal funding requirements.

Monthly asset and liability reporting to

facilitate accounting and fi nancial reporting.

Class year accounting.

Tracking and reporting of vesting schedules

and benefi ciary information.

When you choose Merrill Lynch as the service

provider for your equity compensation program,

you’re getting more than just brokerage and

recordkeeping expertise. We take it a step

further by partnering with you to help your

executives understand their total portfolio and

make decisions designed to protect, diversify

and monetize their holdings.

Meeting the needs of your top executives

Executive Services That

Nonqualifi ed Deferred Compensation

Executive and Equity Compensation

14

Our dedicated and experienced corporate

service teams and fi nancial advisors can

help your company executives with:

Managing equity awards.

Designing and implementing a

Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Creating individual investment portfolios

and fi nancial strategies.

Executing transactions.

Properly reporting offi cer and director stock

purchases and sales for insider transactions.

Merrill Lynch’s AwardChoice® program provides an equity compensation solution for your

company, combined with Merrill Lynch’s service

and brokerage capabilities for your employees.

AwardChoice supports a variety

of equity awards, including:

Nonqualifi ed and incentive stock options.

Restricted stock.

Restricted stock units.

Dividend equivalent units.

Performance shares.

Performance units.

Stock appreciation rights

(net settled options).

Whether you prefer to recordkeep your equity

compensation program in-house or outsource the

recordkeeping to Merrill Lynch, our AwardChoice

program offers a solution to meet your needs:

Full-Service —— a fully integrated and automated

solution for plan sponsors and participants,

including access to FAS trak(r)®, our web-

enabled fi nancial reporting solution, powered

by Equity Analytics LLC (also known as

Equity Methods), an indirect, wholly-owned

subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

Linked Execution —— your company retains

responsibility for managing and recordkeeping

your equity award program, while taking

advantage of Merrill Lynch’s robust

support channels for your participants.

Direct Execution —— your company manages

and recordkeeps your program in-house, while

giving participants access to experienced

Merrill Lynch Financial Advisors.

Exceed Expectations

15

Small Business Solutions

For businesses with fewer than 100 employees,

we offer a range of plan design, administrative

and investment solutions —— from managed

accounts to our extensive list of alliance partners.

Options include Owner-only 401(k) plans for

business owners and their spouses, plus SEP,

SIMPLE, Profi t-Sharing, 401(k), 403(b) and

Defi ned Benefi t Plans.

Individual Savings Solutions

Merrill Lynch offers both traditional and

Roth IRAs, which your employees may use to

supplement their employer-sponsored plan

savings or utilize to consolidate accumulated

assets from previous employer-sponsored

programs.

Retirement Income Service

The Merrill Lynch Retirement Income Service® is

a comprehensive retirement income management

solution that helps individuals plan for, generate,

and manage the income needed to realize

their retirement vision. Our service simplifi es

the complexities of income planning and cash

management and integrates customized income,

investment and portfolio withdrawal plans with

long-term retirement objectives and day-to-

day cash fl ow management needs. With the

Retirement Income Service, individuals get

quarterly and annual progress reports to help

them stay on track and achieve their retirement

goals.

Health Savings Accounts

A Merrill Lynch Health Savings Account is a trust

or custodial account that offers participants a

Federal tax-free way to pay for current and future

health expenses and invest for retirement. If you

offer a high-deductible health plan, health savings

accounts may be appropriate for your employees.

16

Solutions for small businesses and individuals

Individual Retirement

Merrill Lynch offers other plans and services to help your participants achieve the life they dream about.

and Savings Programs529 College Savings Programs

Merrill Lynch-offered Section 529 college

savings programs provide a tax-advantaged

way to invest for the higher education expenses

of a designated benefi ciary. These programs,

administered by states, allow any U.S. resident,

regardless of age, income or state of residence,

to establish an account. Parents, grandparents,

other relatives or even a family friend can do

so. Participants can change benefi ciaries at

any time to another family member (certain

restrictions apply).

Before you invest in a 529 plan, request an offi cial statement and read it carefully. The offi cial statement contains more complete information, including investment objectives, charges, expenses, and risks of investing in the 529 plan, which you should consider carefully before investing.

17

18

Defi ned Contribution Plans

Innovative investments, investment selection and

investment management, including separately

managed accounts and custom portfolios.

Comprehensive employee education, information

and advice solutions.

Investment menu design.

Integrated participant services, accessible

on the Web, through our Interactive Voice

Response (IVR) system, or through our

Participant Service Center.

Assistance with compliance and fi duciary

requirements.

Plan services and recordkeeping.


Innovative investments, investment selection

and investment management.

Actuarial services.

Trust, custody and pension

payment services.





Government reporting and compliance assistance.

Plan services and recordkeeping.

Partnering with businesses to help individuals achieve fi nancial success.

Through our nationwide network of fi nancial

advisors, Merrill Lynch provides a broad range of

savings and investment programs to employers

and individual investors. As a fi rm, Merrill Lynch

manages more than $300 billion in retirement

and educational savings assets in the U.S.10

The Retirement Group at Merrill Lynch handles

more than 37,000 corporate retirement plans

and more than 6.1 million individual accounts.

Our fi nancial advisors and other staff members

provide a local presence in communities

throughout the world. We work with fi rms of

all sizes, from sole proprietorships, to small

businesses, to multi-national corporations.

10 Merrill Lynch data as of December 31, 2008.

Integrated benefi ts for your company and your employees

The Retirement Group

19

at Merrill LynchNonqualifi ed Deferred Compensation Plans

Personalized advisory services

for executives.

Flexibility in asset management services

and solutions.

Tax-advantaged funding solutions.

Trust and recordkeeping solutions.





Equity Award Services

Personal advice and assistance

for executives.

Innovative investments, investment selection

and investment management.





Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans.

Class-year or account structure recordkeeping,

payroll coordination, tracking and reporting

services.

Plan consulting and recordkeeping services.

Institutional Trust Services

Investments, investment selection and

investment management through experienced

Merrill Lynch Financial Advisors.

Performance measurement via AIM, delivered by

your Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor.

Trust and custody services.

Pension payment services and tax reporting.

Securities trading and processing, market

valuations and proxy solicitation.

Corporate action monitoring and processing.

Income collection and remittance

on payable date.

Small Business Solutions

401(k) and Owner-only 401(k) Plans

SEP and SIMPLE Plans

Profi t-Sharing Plans

403(b) Plans


Individual Savings Solutions

Traditional and Roth Individual

Retirement Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

Section 529 College Savings Plans

The Retirement Group at Merrill Lynch:Helping you and your employees “Achieve Life.”

For more information about the retirement, benefi t, executive and equity compensation programs

offered through Merrill Lynch, please contact your Merrill Lynch representative

or call toll free 1-888-550-7705.

The Merrill Lynch Advice Access service uses a probabilistic approach to determine the likelihood that participants in the service may be able to achieve their stated goals and/or to identify a range of potential wealth outcomes that could be realized. Additionally, the recommendations provided by Merrill Lynch Advice Access do not consider an individual’s comfort level with investment risk, and may include a higher level of investment risk than a participant may be personally comfortable with. Participants are strongly advised to consider their personal goals, overall risk tolerance, and retirement horizon before accepting any recommendations made by Merrill Lynch Advice Access. Participants should carefully review the explanation of the methodology used, including key assumptions and limitations, which is provided in the Merrill Lynch Advice Access disclosure statement. It can be obtained through Benefi ts OnLine or through your Merrill Lynch representative.

IMPORTANT: The projections or other information shown in the Merrill Lynch Advice Access service regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not refl ect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. Results may vary with each use and over time.

For more complete information on the investment options, including their management fees and other charges and expenses, please consult the prospectuses and other comparable documents. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risk, charges and expenses before investing. This, and additional information about the investment options, can be found in the prospectuses, which can be obtained by calling your Merrill Lynch representative. Please read these documents carefully before investing.

Any information presented about tax considerations affecting client fi nancial transactions or arrangements is not intended as tax advice and should not be relied on to avoid any tax penalties. Neither Merrill Lynch nor its Financial Advisors provide tax, accounting or legal advice. Clients should review any planned fi nancial transactions or arrangements that may have tax, accounting or legal implications with their personal professional advisors.

FOR PLAN SPONSOR USE ONLY

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated is a registered broker-dealer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation.

Merrill Lynch makes available investment products and services sponsored, managed, provided or distributed by companies that are affi liatesof or in which Bank of America Corporation has an economic interest, including Columbia Management, BlackRock, and Nuveen Investments.

Investment Products:

Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

Unless otherwise noted, registered service marks and service marks are the property of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.© 2009 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. All rights reserved.Member, Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). 20081178

the retirement group at merrill lynch - benefits online · would recommend the retirement group at...

Documents