Funding Options
Check Deposits
If you wish to send a check deposit to Merrill Lynch, please follow the instructions listed below. Certain forms of deposits are not acceptable and will be returned to you unprocessed if contained in your deposit. Unacceptable forms of deposits are listed below for your reference.

All checks deposited are available for investing upon posting to your account and are available for withdrawal 7 business days after posting.
 

Non Retirement Accounts
Please enclose your initial deposit ($2,000 minimum) with your new account application. Once you have sent in your signed account documentation you will receive an initial order of deposit tickets. Please include a deposit ticket with all future check deposits. If you need additional deposit tickets please refer to “Additional Checks and Check Supplies” within the Customer Services tab.

To make a deposit complete the following:

  • Endorse all checks, unless the check is made payable to Merrill Lynch.
  • Write your Merrill Lynch DirectSM account number on the back of the check within the space provided for endorsements.
  • Include your check deposit in the same envelope as your account application.
Retirement Accounts
To make a deposit complete the following:
  • Endorse all checks unless the check is made payable to Merrill Lynch.
  • Write your Merrill Lynch Direct account number on the back of the check within the space provided for endorsements.
  • Mail your deposit to the Regular Mail or Overnight Mail/Express Mail address listed below.

Regular Mail Only
Merrill Lynch
PO Box 1521
Pennington NJ 08534-1521

Overnight Mail/Express Mail Only
Merrill Lynch Direct
1400 Merrill Lynch Drive
MSC 0402N
Pennington NJ 08534-4125
 

Unacceptable Deposits
If one or more of these items are received in a deposit, the unacceptable item(s) will be returned to you via regular mail unprocessed.
  • Cash
  • Money Orders
  • Traveler’s Checks
  • Checks made payable to a person/entity other than account owner
  • Checks made payable to account owner and another entity
  • Checks drawn on a foreign bank (foreign currency or US dollars)
  • Unsigned checks
  • Stale dated checks (six months or older)
  • Checks made out to “cash”
  • Incomplete checks (no payee, no signature, written amount not completed, etc.)  
Acceptable Deposits
All checks deposited must be made payable to you as account owner or to Merrill Lynch.
  • Checks drawn by account owner payable to the account owner or Merrill Lynch
  • Cashier’s Checks made payable to account owner or Merrill Lynch for deposit to the account of our client
  • IRS/ Government checks made payable to account owner
  • Dividend checks made payable to account owner
  • Bond Interest checks made payable to account owner
  • Personal checks made payable to account owner
  • Corporate checks made payable to account owner

 
Physical Security Deposits
If you wish to send a physical security to Merrill Lynch, please follow the instructions listed below. There are certain securities that are not acceptable and will be returned to you unprocessed if contained in your deposit. Unacceptable securities are listed below.

Physical Securities post to your account 2 to 3 business days after business day of receipt.
 

Non-Retirement Accounts
To make a physical security deposit complete the following:
  • Date and endorse the back of the certificate exactly as written upon the face of the certificate.
  • Write Merrill Lynch in the Appoint Attorney line on the back of the certificate (this protects you in case the certificate is lost or stolen). 
  • If you enroll online write your Merrill Lynch Direct account number under your endorsement.
  • Mail your security deposit to the Regular Mail or Overnight Mail/Express Mail/Certified Mail address listed below:

Regular Mail Only
Merrill Lynch
PO Box 1521
Pennington NJ 08534-1521

Overnight Mail/Express Mail Only
Merrill Lynch Direct
1400 Merrill Lynch Drive
MSC 0402N
Pennington NJ 08534-4125
 

Retirement Accounts
Securities for deposit into an IRA account are only accepted when part of a rollover distribution. 
Acceptable Physical Securities
  • U.S. Traded Equities
  • U.S. Traded Convertible Bonds 
  • U.S. Corporate Bonds
  • Registered Municipal Bonds
  • Foreign American Depository Receipts
  • Securities in Single/Joint Name (must match account name)
  • Custodian Name for IRAs

 
Unacceptable Physical Securities
  • Bearer Bonds
  • Bearer Treasuries
  • Canadian Securities
  • Defaulted Bonds
  • Foreign Securities (non American Depository Receipts)
  • International Bank Reconstruction Bonds
  • Limited Partnerships
  • Non-Agreement/No-Load Mutual Funds
  • Non-Negotiable Stock
  • Notorial Stock 
  • Non-Transferable Stock
  • Restricted/Control Stock
  • Securities Containing Legal Documents other than Stock Power ( Sole Proprietorship; Estates; Divorce; Trusts; UGMA/UTMA; Death)
  • Securities without Trading Market 
  • Worthless Stock  
Check and Physical Security Deposit Research
If you have a question about your check or physical security deposit or need a copy of a check you deposited, please call 1-877-ML-DIRECT (1-877-653-4732). To assist in this process please have the following information available:
 

Check Deposit Research
  • Merrill Lynch account number
  • Date deposit mailed
  • Overnight Mail/Express Mail package number (if applicable)
  • Address deposit mailed to
  • Dollar amount of deposit 
  • Number of checks in the deposit
  • Dollar amount of check (if looking for a copy of a check deposited)
Physical Security Research
  • Merrill Lynch account number 
  • Date mailed
  • Overnight Mail/Express Mail/Certified Mail package number (if applicable)
  • Name of security
  • Certificate number
  • CUSIP number 
  • Number of shares