Go to Benefits OnLine at the web address provided by Merrill or your employer. Please note, your screen may differ from the example shown.

On the home page, select the Open your brokerage account link in the To Do section.

Your tax form election (Form W-8BEN or W-9) is pre-filled based on your citizenship/status. Confirm that your election is correct and select Continue.

Your permanent residential address, phone number and email address are pre-filled with information from your employer. Your address cannot be a P.O. Box or company/office address. Select your country of citizenship and residence from the drop-down lists. If your mailing address is different than your permanent address, enter it where shown. Review all of your information and update if needed. Select Next Page to continue.

Enter your Foreign Tax Identifying Number (FTIN) where shown. This number is issued by your country of residence for local taxes and governmental benefits. If your country of tax residency does not issue FTINs, check the box “FTIN is not legally required.”

Your executive officer status is pre-filled by your employer. Review the questions and check any boxes that apply to your situation. Select Next Page to continue or Previous Page to go back.

As a shareholder, you have the right to vote your shares in corporate elections. Select Yes or No to answer the question about your name and address availability. If you answer yes, your contact information will be used to send you proxy statements and information about shareholder voting issues. Select Next Page to continue.

Select the Review button to read the Account’s Terms and Conditions. To accept, select I Accept. Then select Agree and Submit to complete the account opening process.

You’ll receive a confirmation page with your new account number. Next, you must certify your tax status using Form W-8BEN to avoid U.S. backup withholding tax on proceeds from your awards or employee stock purchase plan. To begin, select Next Page and follow the prompts. For instructions to certify your tax status, go here (skip to step 3). Your account will be active within two business days.

You can access your Merrill brokerage account from the Benefits OnLine home page. Select the three dots or account options toggle next to your account name for quick links to popular actions like selling shares, transferring cash, accessing tax documents and more.