Merrill Lynch Customer Service -- Flashback -- August 6, 2014

Locator: 46708EDGE.

Flashback -- from my journal. 

August 6, 2014

Merrill Lynch EDGE Advisory Center
PO Box 1501
Pennington, NJ 08534


Dear Sir/Madam,


I had a most enjoyable visit with one of your financial advisors out here in southern California earlier today. His business card says he is a vice president, financial solutions advisor.

I have had an account with Merrill Lynch for 30+ years; my holdings were moved into Merrill Lynch EDGE when that program was initiated several decades (?) ago. The local bank was promoting EDGE and suggested I stop by for a visit with the financial advisor after I stopped by Bank of America to update a couple of banking accounts.

The appointment was made last week, and yesterday I received an e-mail reminding me of my appointment.

I was there at the appointed time. I was somewhat surprised that the financial advisor did not already have my account opened on his computer.

I was even more surprised when he asked me who I was. Remember, he (or someone) sent me the reminder that I had an appointment.

But, I suppose the biggest surprise came when he said my account was “too big” to be in the EDGE program; he said I must be wrong, that I couldn’t possibly be in the EDGE program. I told him I get a Merrill Lynch EDGE statement every month (at least that’s what it says at the top).  (In fact, that’s where I am taking the address, from one of my monthly statements; I am not including the second line of that address; just the PO Box.)

He asked me how I enrolled in Merrill Lynch EDGE. I said Merrill Lynch called me about my BLUEPRINT plan some decades ago and moved me over to EDGE when BLUEPRINT was discontinued. Be that as it may, he said he could not talk about the EDGE program to me because I was a Texas resident, and not a California resident.

Since I did not have a margin account, the only question I had was how much time I had to pay for on-line transactions (3 business days? 5 business days?). He said his “hands were tied,” and to help me understand he put his hands behind his chair, as if they were tied, suggesting that it was against SEC rules or Federal law or the local police department to answer any further questions regarding the ML EDGE program.


I had to chuckle. I’ve been with Merrill Lynch for 30+ years and I’ve never had a really good interaction with any financial adviser. I’m always asked when I call Merrill Lynch who my financial adviser is, and I always tell them it’s a “1-800” number out of New Jersey or New York when I get called every few months from an office out there. So, this time, I finally decided to meet face-to-face with a Merrill Lynch advisor.

I came prepared, including a four-page summary of my investments, investing philosophy, and investing goals.

I did appreciate that this vice president, Financial Solutions, did offer to give me a “1-800” phone number to call to get that question answered, as noted above.

So, I assume my non-relationship relationship will continue with Merrill Lynch as it has for the past 30+ years. I gave it a shot today. The most interesting thing this adviser said: “So, you prefer face-to-face interactions with your investments?”

If only.