Investments

The point of your investment decisions is, by definition, to produce the returns you need to meet your long-term financial goals. But unless you're also managing investments for tax efficiency, you may be paying more than your fair share of federal tax. This is especially true for the growing number of households that in 2007 could become subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

The AMT is a provision of the IRS tax code enacted in the 1960s to curb the use of tax deductions by the wealthiest citizens. Although the goal was to ensure that everyone paid at least some income tax, the AMT has never been adjusted for inflation. As a result, roughly 23 million filers with rising incomes may face higher payments in the 2007 tax year.

Managing your day-to-day financial needs is as crucial to achieving your personal goals as managing your long-term investments. That's why Merrill Lynch offers a broad array of cash management services to help you integrate your financial life. Now we've made it easier for you to utilize these services — and keep track of your disparate finances — through the new CMA Plus^® package, offered as part of the Cash Management Account^® (CMA^® account).

Available without a monthly fee to qualifying clients^®, CMA Plus gives you the simplicity of a single all-inclusive account — with one point of contact and with one location — for both your long-term investments and everyday finances.