My name is Tong Wu, and I’m a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor. I’ll start by taking the time to get to know you and understand what’s important to you so I can help you develop your short-, mid- and long-term goals.

I’ll serve as your resource for everything from general investing to retirement planning to saving for the unexpected. I can also provide access to specialists for banking, credit, home financing and small business solutions. Together we’ll discuss your goals, concerns and questions, and I can provide ongoing advice and guidance as your needs change.

New to investing?

Start by reviewing some of the basics. As you define your goals and assess your attitude toward risk, ask me for help with clarifying your investment choices.

Investing basics

Investing is about seeking to grow your money in order to pursue your goals. There's a variety of ways to invest, and several fundamental — and related — factors to keep in mind. It's also important to note that investing involves the risk of losing money.

    Risk vs. reward
    Over time, more aggressive investments like stock have generally brought higher returns — but with a greater chance of losing money.
   

The advantage of time

If you start investing at a young age, you may have more time to potentially grow your investments and a greater opportunity to ride out a market downturn.

Diversification

Putting your money in different types of investments can help manage risk.

Types of investments

We offer a full range of investments, including: stocks and bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and managed portfolios.

Generally, stocks have the highest risk/return potential, and bonds (fixed income investments) the lowest.

    Stocks and bonds
    Stocks: An ownership stake in a company.
Bonds: Money loaned to a company or government that agrees to pay you back.
   

Mutual funds

Professionally managed investments that pool money from a large number of investors to purchase a combination of stocks, bonds and /or other securities.

ETFs

Collections of securities that can be bought and sold throughout the day and can offer tax benefits, greater diversification and lower costs to investors.

Managed portfolios

Recommended investment strategies, with portfolios built, monitored and rebalanced by investment professionals.

Your particular investing needs

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to investing. How you invest will be driven by your goals, time horizon, liquidity needs and risk tolerance. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you begin to think about investing.

    What are you investing for?
    A well-defined goal — like deciding how much you'll need in retirement — is the first step in determining what it might take to achieve your objective.
   

What is your time horizon?

If you're saving for a longer-term goal such as retirement, you may be able to be more aggressive than if you're saving for a shorter-term goal like a home purchase.

What are your liquidity needs?

It's essential to know how much cash you might need at a given point, and how easily you could convert an asset into cash without potentially incurring a loss.

What is your risk tolerance?

What amount of risk would you be comfortable taking in pursuit of potentially higher returns?

                  Over time, more aggressive investments like stock have generally brought higher returns — but with a greater chance of losing money.
               

                  If you start investing at a young age, you may have more time to potentially grow your investments and a greater opportunity to ride out a market downturn.
               

Putting your money in different types of investments can help manage risk.

                  Stocks: An ownership stake in a company.
Bonds: Money loaned to a company or government that agrees to pay you back.
               

                  Professionally managed investments that pool money from a large number of investors to purchase a combination of stocks, bonds and /or other securities.
               

                  Collections of securities that can be bought and sold throughout the day and can offer tax benefits, greater diversification and lower costs to investors.
               

                  Recommended investment strategies, with portfolios built, monitored and rebalanced by investment professionals.
               

                  A well-defined goal — like deciding how much you'll need in retirement — is the first step in determining what it might take to achieve your objective.
               

                  If you're saving for a longer-term goal such as retirement, you may be able to be more aggressive than if you're saving for a shorter-term goal like a home purchase.
               

                  It's essential to know how much cash you might need at a given point, and how easily you could convert an asset into cash without potentially incurring a loss.
               

                  What amount of risk would you be comfortable taking in pursuit of potentially higher returns?
               

Let's get started

Use our tools to help clarify your needs and find out where you stand.

     
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Preferred Rewards

Enjoy real benefits and rewards on your Merrill investing and Bank of America banking account balances. And as your balances grow, so do your benefits.

Learn more

Keep it together

Link your Merrill investing and Bank of America bank accounts to view and manage your money online and on your mobile device. With just one login, you can transfer funds instantly between your accounts.Footnote ¹

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What do you care about most?

Invest for the priorities that matter most to you. Get resources, tools and solutions aligned to your financial goals.

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FAQs

What is a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor?

A Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor is a licensed investment professional who can review your specific financial situation, offer you general investment guidance and discuss Merrill investment products and solutions.

How do my Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor and Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor work together?

The support you receive from your Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor is a complement to the relationship you have with your Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor. The two work together to make sure you have a seamless experience no matter how you choose to invest.

What services do Merrill Financial Solutions Advisors provide?

A Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor will make sure you understand all the investment strategies available through Merrill, then will work with you throughout the onboarding process and offer support or guidance as needed to help you pursue your goals.

Are there additional benefits for Bank of America customers?

Yes. With one login, you can view and instantly transfer money online between your Bank of America bank accounts to your Merrill investment accounts.Footnote ¹ Plus, your Merrill investment balances can help you qualify for Bank of America Preferred Rewards. If you're already a Preferred Rewards member, your balances can help you reach the next tier of benefits.Footnote ²

Certain banking and brokerage accounts may be ineligible for real-time money movement, including but not limited to transfers to/from bank IRAs (CD, Money Market), 529s, Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking™, Credit Cards and transfers from IRAs, Loans (HELOC, LOC, Mortgage) and accounts held in the military bank. Accounts eligible for real-time transfers will be displayed online in the to/from drop down menu on the transfer screen.
To enroll in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program you must have an active, eligible personal checking account with Bank of America^® and maintain the balance required for one of the balance tiers in 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. i. a three-month combined average daily balance in your qualifying deposit and investment accounts or
2. ii. 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.
You must have a qualifying balance of at least $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. Private Bank clients qualify to enroll in the Diamond tier, and may qualify for the Diamond Honors tier based on their qualifying Bank of America, Merrill, and Private Bank balances. 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. 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 visit the Employee Financial Services intranet site. Covered employees of companies participating in the Bank of America Employee Banking and Investing Program may be eligible to enroll on customized terms. Please visit https://promo.bankofamerica.com/cebi-disclosures for details.

Tong Wu is licensed to do business in: CA, DC, DE, FL, KY, MD, NC, NJ, NY, PA, TN, TX, VA, WV

Supervisory Office8075 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182 800.937.0768

Tong Wu, CRPC™

New to investing?