The availability of the company's support staff is unparalleled. Merrill Guided Investing is unlike other market-matching index fund portfolios because the company's Chief Investment Officer has devised unique asset allocation and hands-on investment techniques (CIO). Those already banking with or investing in their name with Bank of America or Merrill Lynch may switch to the Merrill Guided Investing platform for their managed assets. While the fees are often higher than those of rivals, the Preferred Rewards program allows customers to save money. Here, we'll go further into Merrill Guided Investing so you can determine whether it's the right Robo-advisor for you.
Pros
- The goal of an actively managed portfolio is to generate higher returns than the market.
- Telephone assistance is always on hand, consistent with other Bank of America offerings.
- Excelling investor guides, calculators, and resources for all skill levels
Cons
- Price tags are above average.
- The basic plan doesn't include any financial advisors.
- No deduction of expenses before taxes
Configuration Of An Account
Merrill Guided Investing has an easy signup process. Investors, as usual, respond to the standard set of questions about their investing aims, budgets, and time horizons. If you want a complete view of your financial situation and your chances of achieving your objectives, Merrill allows you to include accounts from other providers. They can manually set their risk level or answer specific questions that will enable the platform to propose one. The next step is for customers to choose a target from a list of eight options and give that target a unique moniker of their own making. They then select a portfolio that follows the market or prioritizes sustainability. Their pre-enrollment asset allocation is categorized as cautious, moderate, or aggressive, according to how they responded to a questionnaire. At last, they decide what kind of account they want and put in the minimum deposit of $1,000. During the initial setup, you may quickly contact customer care by chat or phone.
Goal Planning
When setting and achieving goals, Merrill is crystal clear and concise. The following eight aims are available to customers:
- Retirement
- Investing in General
- Home
- Education
- Care for Relatives
- Travel
- Exceptional Occasion
Other Large Purchase
There are built-in simulations that may help customers determine the possibility of achieving their objectives and allow them to fine-tune their assumptions. Users may utilize the tools as well as calculators to prepare for a wide range of financial choices, from retirement to saving for college to handling the most fundamental aspects of personal finance. Personal financial calculators include cash flow and school planning tools, while the retirement calculator is ideal for people who are either close to or already in retirement. The likelihood of success is included in regular goal updates and tracked alongside client progress. The user may make necessary changes to their starting point and additions. Clients may add new revenue sources and other accounts and monitor donations for more precise goal tracking.
Account Services
For younger investors who don't need extensive financial planning help, Merrill Guided Investing's online-only option is a good fit. The minimum investment is $1,000, and the cost is 0.45%. On the other hand, the ability to include a human adviser in addition to automated investment management is helpful to people who want more than just a robot advisor. The minimum investment to participate in the advice model is $20,000, and the AUM fee is 0.85%. In addition to the Merrill Guided Investing account, DIY investors may open a self-directed investing account on Merrill Edge. With just one login, Bank of America clients can access a full suite of banking, DIY investing, and Robo-advisory services from Merrill Guided Investing. We have achieved a state of seamlessness in automatic deposits and transfers. If you have a query about your account, you may contact one of the roughly 4,000 Bank of America branches.
Cash Management
Your Merrill Guided Investing portfolio will have part of its value placed in cash. A tiny portion of your managed money will always be in currency, no matter what risk level you set it at. While other Robo-advisors may provide a separate cash management account comparable to a bank account, this one invests all your managed assets in a single investing account. Keeping money with Bank of America is as simple as opening one of their numerous available accounts.
Conclusion
If you would rather not actively manage your assets but still want a diverse portfolio, Merrill Guided Investing may be the way to go. Existing Merrill or Bank of America clients may also benefit from the automated adviser. Merrill Edge's automated adviser is known as Merrill Guided Investing. The Merrill Edge account is managed by a team of Merrill experts in addition to the computer algorithms that set it apart from other automated platforms. Integration with Bank of America and Merrill accounts is included, as well as access to ETF and mutual fund strategies through an online dashboard. This account is among the most visible options for passive investors offered by the corporation, alongside Merrill Guided Investing, Merrill Guided Going to invest with Advisor, as well as Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
