Key Employee ServicesRule 10b5-1 Trading Plans. If offered by your company, Rule 10b5-1 trading plans may provide for systemic trading of company stock and are intended to demonstrate that trading is not on the basis of material, nonpublic information about the issuer or the issuer’s securities. These plans can assist executives with concentrated positions in company stock in carrying out a diversification strategy.Block Trade Execution. Plan participants selling large blocks of shares (e.g., 10,000 or more) may benefit by consulting a GCIAS Financial Advisor or Key Employee Services professional prior to executing the transaction. Trades of large blocks of shares can be facilitated through Merrill’s Special Equities Trading group.Equity Award Analysis. This service can help U.S. participants with stock options make informed decisions about their equity compensation. An Award Analysis report includes a high-level summary of equity awards based on information from Award Choice® (Merrill’s equity award platform), valuations of equity awards (including intrinsic value, after-tax value, and Black-Scholes value), a comparative analysis of changes to stock option values based on change to modeled dates and market prices, and modeling and valuation techniques to help articulate the intrinsic and time value of stock options.Proactive Account Notices. Plan participants can be contacted by telephone to notify them about a particular situation related to their stock awards that requires the participant’s attention.Beneficiary Support. The grief of losing a loved one is trying enough, but the financial challenges that come with a significant lifecycle event exacerbate an already difficult time. Working with plan sponsors, we offer beneficiaries special support to help them assess their financial situation, maximize available employer benefits and other resources, and develop a wealth management strategy for the transition and beyond. A dedicated telephone line and proactive, sensitive outreach minimize the stress of tacking these issues.Asset Consolidation and Selling Large Share Blocks. We can help key employees who wish to consolidate their equity holdings navigate Direct Registration Services, engage with transfer agents, and initiate DTC deliveries. Merrill’s Special Equities Trading Group may be helpful to employees selling large blocks of shares. This group seeks to achieve a more favorable execution price when compared to online systems.** There is no guarantee that the Special Equities Trading Group will be able to obtain a more favorable execution price. Rule 144 and Form 4 Support. Working with the issuer’s counsel and Merrill’s Executive & Equity Services group, our Key Employee Services team is approved to self-clear transactions that occur under rule 144. This generally results in a more timely execution and offers an automated process for reportable transactions. In addition, we can file documentation related to Rule 144 on behalf of the executive officer/affiliate and provide the issuer with a comprehensive transaction report for Form 4 that is disseminated to the public within 48 business hours.Personalized Wealth Management Strategies For needs that go beyond benefits education, a GCIAS Financial Advisor can work with an individual manager, executive or board member to develop a personalized, custom strategy designed to meet specific financial objectives, such as: Traditional and alternative investments, Education funding, Caring for aging parents, Wealth transfer, Charitable givingThe personalized strategy, offered at no cost, can be implemented through Merrill or any other advisor.GCIAS - Who We Are
*Some or all alternative investments may not be in the best interests for certain investors. Certain alternative investments carry significant risk and are not subject to the same regulatory oversight as mutual funds and other traditional investments. For these reasons, access to alternative investments may be limited to investors who are designated as sophisticated, high-net-worth investors.