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Be prepared for emergencies

« Back to Starting OutIf life throws you a curveball, an emergency fund and insurance coverage can help you preserve your retirement savings and avoid taking on debt.

Start an emergency fund

Starting an emergency savings fund now can have a big payoff down the road — it can help you get by in case of an unexpected repair or tax bill, for example.A good rule of thumb is to save enough money to cover at least six months of living expenses. These tips can help you get there:

Determine your essential and non-essential monthly expenses, and limit what you spend on the non-essentials.
Open a safe, liquid account, like an FDIC-insured savings or a money market account, and keep it separate from your everyday savings so there's less temptation to "borrow" from it.
Set an attainable goal—maybe $1,000 to start—and then devote a percentage of every paycheck to it. Consider setting up automatic transfers into your emergency fund account.
Put aside a small amount each month until you reach your goal, and then set aside as much as you can monthly until you've got enough to cover up to half a year's worth of essentials.

If you must tap into your emergency fund, build your savings back as quickly as possible.Take action:Open a Bank of America savings account Open a Merrill general investing accountRead:6 simple steps to jump-start your emergency fund How to build an emergency fund in a year Creating a safety net for life's unexpected events1 (5:52)HSAs offer triple-tax advantagesIf you're enrolled in a high deductible health plan, a Health Savings Account (HSA) offers three key tax benefits:

HSA contributions are made pre-tax
Earnings from interest from investments in your HSA grow tax-free
Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are federal tax-free and may be state tax-free

Learn more about Bank of America HSAs

Protect your family with health, disability and life insurance

Health: Sign up for health insurance through your workplace, if available, because it will most likely cost less than buying it yourself. If you are enrolled in a high-deductible health care plan, you may be eligible to open and fund a Health Savings Account (HSA), which lets you use tax-free savings to cover qualified medical expenses.

Disability: Many employers offer group disability insurance, but it may not cover enough lost income during a longer-term disability, so check if any supplemental policies are offered. If you can't get sufficient coverage through work, consider buying an individual policy.

Life: Life insurance can help protect the financial future of your beneficiaries. Your employer may offer life insurance—most likely term life, which provides protection for a set period of time. Other types, such as whole and universal life, can provide lifetime coverage. What's appropriate for you depends on many factors, so do some research before selecting a policy.

Insurance to protect your home and belongings

Homeowners and renters insurance: Your policy should cover your entire home and its contents from fire or theft. Also, make sure you're covered for personal liability if someone is injured in or around your home.

Auto insurance: Along with collision coverage, it's a good idea to insure against any liability involving your car, because a lawsuit stemming from a car accident could be financially devastating.

The time to review your home or renters policy is before you have a loss.Save for retirement: Start now, even if you start smallNext:Ready to get started?Open an account888.637.3343 Find a local Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor Looking for a different approach to investing?An investment advisory program that combines the best features of online investing with a professionally managed portfolio.Footnote 1Learn moreabout Guided InvestingFootnote1 "The 2011 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey: Final Report." National Foundation for Credit Counseling (2011). You can receive tax-free distributions from your HSA to pay or be reimbursed for qualified medical expenses you incur after you establish the HSA. If you receive distributions for other reasons, the amount you withdraw will be subject to income tax and may be subject to an additional 20% tax. Any interest or earnings on the assets in the account are tax free. You may be able to claim a tax deduction for contributions you, or someone other than your employer, make to your HSA. Bank of America recommends you contact qualified tax or legal counsel before establishing a HSA. All guarantees and benefits of the insurance policy are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. They are not backed by Merrill or its affiliates, nor do Merrill or its affiliates make any representations or guarantees regarding the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.MAP4775637-06302023

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Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as "MLPF&S" or "Merrill") makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp."). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member Securities Investor Protection (SIPC)popup and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp").

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