Bank of America : Merrill Edge® Receives Industry Recognitions for Exceptional Performance and Offerings

Honors from Barron's, StockBrokers.com, Investor's Business Daily, Customer Service Institute of America and Corporate Insight Reinforce the Value of Merrill Edge's Offerings

"These honors and our growth are a great indicator of how we are delivering on this commitment by providing innovative tools and resources that help our clients pursue their financial goals."

Merrill Edge announced today that it has been recognized in five separate industry reviews, including honors for excellence in customer service and educational resources, and as one of the top online brokers by Barron's magazine.

"We help streamline the financial lives of our clients so they can make more informed investment decisions," said Aron Levine, head of Preferred Banking and Merrill Edge. "These honors and our growth are a great indicator of how we are delivering on this commitment by providing innovative tools and resources that help our clients pursue their financial goals."

2014-2015 accolades include:

2015 Barron's Online Brokerage Review

Merrill Edge received an overall ranking of four stars out of five in the Barron's 2015 Online Brokerage Review, moving up four positions from last year's review and rising to sixth among the 18 firms evaluated. Merrill Edge was also listed among the lowest cost online brokers for both frequent and occasional traders who qualify by having $100,000 of household assets in their accounts. Merrill Edge earned a ranking of greater than four points in the following areas:

• Portfolio Analysis and Reports: 4.7 out of 5
• Mobile: 4.6 out of 5
• Research Amenities: 4.4 out of 5
• Customer Service/Education: 4.4 out of 5
• Usability: 4.3 out of 5

Barron's also ranked Merrill Edge among the best in the following categories:

• "Best for In-Person Service": 4 stars out of 5
• "Best for Long-Term Investing": 4 stars out of 5
• "Best for Novices": 4 stars out of 5

2015 StockBrokers.com Online Broker Review

The StockBrokers.com 2015 Online Broker Review gave Merrill Edge high praise in its second review of the site. Based on in-depth individual reviews and analysis of 272 variables across 10 key areas, Merrill Edge came in fourth overall out of 15 online brokerages. With four stars out of five, Merrill Edge topped all competitors in "Banking Services" for the second year in a row and was recognized in the following categories:

• "Best in Class" distinction: Banking (5 out of 5), Research (5 out of 5), Customer Service (4.5 out of 5) and Investor Education (4.5 out of 5)
• "Industry Award": No. 1 in Banking Services

2015 Investor's Business Daily Best Online Brokers

In its special report on the Best Online Brokers 2015, Investor's Business Daily recognized Merrill Edge's notable strides. The survey of 10,000 investors ranked Merrill Edge as one of the top five brokerages in five out of 11 categories this year, including "Low Commissions and Fees" for the second year in a row:

• Portfolio Analysis and Reports (3 out of 5)
• Investment Research (4 out of 5)
• Educational Resources (5 out of 5)
• Low Commissions and Fees (5 out of 5)
• Research Tools (5 out of 5)

2014 International Service Excellence Awards

Merrill Edge, one of 12 finalists, was awarded the 2014 International Service Excellence Award in the Contact Center category. The awards are managed by the Customer Service Institute of America, and recognize organizations and individuals around the globe that excel in service and demonstrate a commitment to customer service excellence.

• International Service Excellence Award in the Contact Center category

2014 Corporate Insight e-Monitor Awards

Corporate Insight's e-Monitor Awards, recognizing financial service firms for excellence in the online and offline user experience, acknowledged Merrill Edge with a total of seven awards for 2014. This year's ranking marked improvement in the "News and Research" category and resulted in recognition in seven out of nine total evaluation categories, including:

• Silver Award: Education Centers, News and Research
• Bronze Award: Account Information, Product Range, Quotes, Tools and Calculators, Trade Tickets

To learn more about Merrill Edge and its recognition in the online investments industry, visit www.merrilledge.com/why-merrill-edge/awards-ratings.

Merrill Edge
Merrill Edge is a streamlined investment service that provides customers access to the investment insights of Merrill Lynch and the convenience of Bank of America banking to help simplify their financial life. With Merrill Edge, customers can see their 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. If customers prefer to receive professional advice and guidance to help simplify pursuing their investment goals, Merrill Edge Roadmap™ allows them to work one-on-one with a licensed Merrill Edge Financial Solutions Advisor™. Financial Solutions Advisors work with customers to design a personalized action plan with specific recommendations tailored to their investment needs.

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 48 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,800 retail banking offices and approximately 15,800 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 31 million active users and approximately 17 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

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Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A., and affiliated banks, Members FDIC and wholly owned subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.

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.

MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation.

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© 2015 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Reporters May Contact:
Kristen Georgian, Bank of America, 1.617.434.0234
kristen.e.georgian@bankofamerica.com