The information in this preliminary term sheet is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary term sheet and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus are not an offer to sell these notes and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Units $10 principal amount per unit CUSIP No.	Pricing Date* Settlement Date* Maturity Date*	August , 2025 September , 2025 August , 2027
	*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “pricing date”)

The notes are being issued by Bank of Montreal (“BMO”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and certain additional costs. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and beginning on page PS-6 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

The estimated initial value of the notes determined by us as of the pricing date, which we refer to as the initial estimated value, is expected to be within the range of $9.00 and $9.48 per unit and will be less than the public offering price listed below. However, as discussed in more detail in this term sheet, the actual value of the notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy. See “Summary” on the following page, “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Structuring the Notes” below for additional information.

The notes are not bail-inable notes and are not subject to conversion into our common shares or the common shares of any of our affiliates under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act.

_________________________

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these notes or determined if this Note Prospectus (as defined below) is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

_________________________

The notes:

BofA Securities

August , 2025

Summary

The Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes^® Linked to the S&P 500^® Index, due August , 2027 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or secured by collateral. The notes rank equally with all of our other unsecured senior debt from time to time outstanding. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, are subject to our credit risk.

The notes provide you a leveraged return, subject to a cap, if the Ending Value of the Market Measure, which is the S&P 500^® Index (the “Index”), is greater than the Starting Value. If the Ending Value is equal to or less than the Starting Value but greater than or equal to the Threshold Value, you will receive the principal amount of your notes. If the Ending Value is less than the Threshold Value, you will lose a portion, which could be significant, of the principal amount of your notes. Any payments on the notes will be calculated based on the $10 principal amount per unit and will depend on the performance of the Index, subject to our credit risk. See “Terms of the Notes” below.

Our initial estimated value of the notes equals the sum of the values of the following hypothetical components:

The internal funding rate used in the determination of the initial estimated value generally represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. The value of these derivative transactions is derived from our internal pricing models. These models are based on factors such as the traded market prices of comparable derivative instruments and on other inputs, which include volatility, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors. As a result, the initial estimated value of the notes is based on market conditions at the time it is calculated.

The economic terms of the notes (including the Capped Value) are based on our internal funding rate described above. Our internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the hedging related charge described below, will reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date. Due to these factors, the public offering price you pay to purchase the notes will be greater than the initial estimated value of the notes.

For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Risk Factors” and “Structuring the Notes” below.

Terms of the Notes			Redemption Amount Determination
Issuer:	Bank of Montreal (“BMO”)		On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows:
Principal Amount:	$10.00 per unit
Term:	Approximately two years
Market Measure:	The S&P 500® Index (Bloomberg symbol: “SPX”), a price return index
Starting Value:	The closing level of the Market Measure on the pricing date
Ending Value:	The average of the closing levels of the Market Measure on each calculation day occurring during the Maturity Valuation Period. The scheduled calculation days are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described on page PS-27 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.
Threshold Value:	90.00% of the Starting Value, rounded to two decimal places
Participation Rate:	200%
Capped Value:	[$11.40 to $11.80] per unit, which represents a return of [14.00% to 18.00%] over the principal amount. The actual Capped Value will be determined on the pricing date.
Maturity Valuation Period:	Five scheduled calculation days shortly before the maturity date.
Fees and Charges:	The underwriting discount of $0.20 per unit listed on the cover page and the hedging related charge of $0.05 per unit described in “Structuring the Notes” below.
Joint Calculation Agents:	BMO Capital Markets Corp. (“BMOCM”) and BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”), acting jointly.

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:

These documents (together, the “Note Prospectus”) have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated above or obtained from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) or BofAS by calling toll-free at 1-800-294-1322. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, for information about us and this offering. Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1. When we refer to “we,” “us” or “our” in this term sheet, we refer only to Bank of Montreal.

“Leveraged Index Return Notes^®” and “LIRNs^®” are the registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS.

Investor Considerations

We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

Hypothetical Payout Profile and Examples of Payments at Maturity

The graph below is based on hypothetical numbers and values.

The following table and examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. They illustrate the calculation of the Redemption Amount and total rate of return based on a hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00, a hypothetical Threshold Value of 90.00, the Participation Rate of 200%, a hypothetical Capped Value of $11.60 per unit and a range of hypothetical Ending Values. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Threshold Value, Ending Value and Capped Value, and whether you hold the notes to maturity. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.

For recent actual levels of the Index, see “The Index” section below. The Index is a price return index and as such the Ending Value will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the stocks included in the Index, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in those stocks directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.

Redemption Amount Calculation Examples

Example 1
The Ending Value is 50.00, or 50.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value:    100.00
Threshold Value:  90.00
Ending Value:       50.00
	= $6.00 Redemption Amount per unit

Example 3
The Ending Value is 102.50, or 102.50% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value:     100.00
Ending Value:      102.50
	= $10.50 Redemption Amount per unit

Example 4
The Ending Value is 130.00, or 130.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value:     100.00
Ending Value:      130.00
	= $16.00, however, because the Redemption Amount for the notes cannot exceed the Capped Value, the Redemption Amount will be $11.60 per unit

Risk Factors

There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security. An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-6 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1, page S-2 of the prospectus supplement, and page 9 of the prospectus identified above. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

Structure-related Risks

Valuation and Market-related Risks

Conflict-related Risks

Market Measure-related Risks

Tax-related Risks

The Index

We obtained all information contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation, and changes in its components, from publicly available information. That information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P Dow Jones” or the “Index Sponsor”). The Index Sponsor has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Index at any time. The consequences of the Index Sponsor discontinuing publication of the Index are discussed in the section entitled “Description of the LIRNs—Discontinuance of an Index” in product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1. Neither we nor any agent has independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any information with respect to the Index in connection with the offer and sale of the notes.

In addition, information about the Index may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, the Index Sponsor’s website. We are not incorporating by reference into this term sheet the website or any material it includes. Neither we nor any agent makes any representation that such publicly available information regarding the Index is accurate or complete.

The Index is calculated and published by S&P Dow Jones and is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “SPX.”

General

The Index is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement in the large capitalization segment of the United States equity market. The Index covers approximately 80% of the United States equity market. As of the date of this term sheet, to be added to the Index, a company must have a market capitalization of $20.5 billion or more.

For purposes of this section, the Index is an “S&P Index” and one of the “S&P Indices.”

Eligibility Criteria

For each S&P Index, additions to such S&P Index are evaluated based on the following eligibility criteria. These criteria are for additions to an S&P Index, not for continued membership. A stock may be removed from an S&P Index if it violates the eligibility criteria and if ongoing conditions warrant its removal as described below under “Maintenance of the S&P Indices—Deletion from an S&P Index.”

Companies that migrate from an ineligible exchange, emerge from bankruptcy, are newly designated to be domiciled in the U.S. for index purposes by S&P Dow Jones or convert from an ineligible share or organizational type to an eligible type do not need to trade on an eligible U.S. exchange for 12 months before being considered for addition.

Calculation of the S&P Indices

The S&P Indices are float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted indices. On any given day, the value of an S&P Index is the total FMC of that S&P Index’s constituents divided by that S&P Index’s divisor. The FMC reflects the price of each stock in an S&P Index multiplied by the number of shares used in such S&P Index’s value calculation.

Float Adjustment. A stock’s weight in an S&P Index is determined by the FMC of the stock. Under float adjustment, the share counts in calculating the S&P Indices reflect only those shares available to investors rather than all of a company’s outstanding shares. Float adjustment excludes shares that are closely held by control groups, other publicly traded companies, government agencies or other long-term strategic holders given such shares are not available to investors in the public markets.

Divisor. Continuity in index values of an S&P Index is maintained by adjusting its divisor for all changes in its constituents’ share capital after its base date. This includes additions and deletions to the relevant S&P Index, rights issues, share buybacks and issuances and non-zero price spin-offs. The value of an S&P Index’s divisor over time is, in effect, a chronological summary of all changes affecting the base capital of such S&P Index. The divisor of an S&P Index is adjusted such that the index value of such S&P Index at an instant just prior to a change in base capital equals the index value of such S&P Index at an instant immediately following that change.

Maintenance of the S&P Indices

Changes to index composition are made on an as-needed basis. There is no scheduled reconstitution. Rather, changes in response to corporate actions and market developments can be made at any time. Index additions and deletions are typically announced with at least three business days’ advance notice. Less than three business days’ notice may be given at the discretion of the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee.

Deletion from an S&P Index. For each S&P Index, deletions from such S&P Index occur as follows:

Any company that is removed from an S&P Index (including discretionary and bankruptcy/exchange delistings) must wait a minimum of one year from its removal date before being screened for the eligibility criteria.

S&P Dow Jones believes turnover in S&P Index membership should be avoided when possible. At times a stock included in an S&P Index may appear to temporarily violate one or more of the addition criteria. However, the addition criteria are for addition to an S&P Index, not for continued membership. As a result, an S&P Index constituent that appears to violate criteria for addition to such S&P Index is not deleted unless ongoing conditions warrant an index change. When a stock is removed from an S&P Index, S&P Dow Jones explains the basis for the removal.

Migration. Current constituents of a S&P Composite 1500^® component index (which include each S&P Index) can be migrated from one S&P Composite 1500^® component index to another provided they meet the total company level market capitalization eligibility criteria for the new index. Migrations from one S&P Composite 1500^® index to another do not need to meet the financial viability, liquidity or 50% of the respective index’s total company level minimum market capitalization threshold criteria.

Companies that are spun-off from current index constituents do not need to meet the outside addition criteria, but they should be considered U.S. domiciled. For spin-offs, index membership eligibility is determined using when-issued prices, if available. At the discretion of the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee, a spin-off company may be retained in the parent stock’s index if the Committee determines it has a total market capitalization representative of the parent index. If the spin-off company’s estimated market cap is below the minimum defined in the outside addition criteria but there are other constituent companies in the applicable S&P Index that have a significantly lower total market cap than the spin-off company, the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee may decide to retain the spin-off company in the applicable S&P Index.

Share Updates. Share counts are updated to the latest publicly available filings on a quarterly basis.

Investable Weight Factor (IWF) Updates. IWF changes are implemented either annually, quarterly or on an accelerated schedule following the relevant event depending on the nature of the change as explained below.

Share/IWF Reference Date and Freeze Period. A reference date, after the market close five weeks prior to the third Friday in March, June, September and December, is the cutoff for publicly available information used for quarterly shares outstanding and IWF changes. All shares outstanding and ownership information contained in public filings and/or official sources dated on or before the reference date are included in that quarter’s update. In addition, there is a freeze period on a quarterly basis for any changes that result from the accelerated implementation rule. The freeze period begins after the market close on the Tuesday prior to the second Friday of each rebalancing month (i.e., March, June, September and December) and ends after the market close on the third Friday of the rebalancing month.

Pro-forma files for float-adjusted market capitalization indices are generally released after the market close on the first Friday, two weeks prior to the rebalancing effective date. Pro-forma files for capped and alternatively weighted indices are generally released after the market close on the second Friday, one week prior to the rebalancing effective date. For illustration purposes, if rebalancing pro-forma files are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 5, the share/IWF freeze period will begin after the close of trading on Tuesday, March 9, and will end after the close of trading the following Friday, March 19 (i.e., the third Friday of the rebalancing month).

During the share/IWF freeze period, shares and IWFs are not changed and the accelerated implementation rule is suspended, except for mandatory corporate action events (such as merger activity, stock splits and rights offerings). The suspension includes all changes that qualify for accelerated implementation and would typically be announced or effective during the share/IWF freeze period. At the end of the freeze period, all suspended changes will be announced on the third Friday of the rebalancing month and implemented five business days after the quarterly rebalancing effective date.

Companies that are the target of cash M&A events, and if publicly available guidance indicates the event is expected to close by quarter end, may have their share count frozen at their current level for rebalancing purposes.

Corporate Action Adjustments. The table below summarizes the types of index maintenance adjustments upon various corporate actions and indicates whether or not a divisor adjustment is required.

Other Adjustments. In cases where there is no achievable market price for a stock being deleted, it can be removed at a zero or minimal price at the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee’s discretion.

Governance of the S&P Indices

Each S&P Index is maintained by S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee. All index committee members are full-time professional members of S&P Dow Jones’ staff. The index committee meets monthly. At each meeting, the index committee reviews pending corporate actions that may affect constituents of the S&P Indices, statistics comparing the composition of the S&P Indices to the market, companies that are being considered as candidates for addition to the S&P Indices, and any significant market events. In addition, the index committee may revise an S&P Index’s policy covering rules for selecting companies, treatment of dividends, share counts or other matters.

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the Index in the period from January 1, 2015 through July 31, 2025. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg Finance L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg Finance L.P. On July 31, 2025, the closing level of the Index was 6,339.39.

Historical Performance of the Index

This historical data on the Index is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Index or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the Index during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the Index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the Index.

License Agreement

We and S&P Dow Jones have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement providing for the license to us, and certain of our affiliates, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by S&P Dow Jones in connection with certain securities, including the notes. The license agreement provides or is expected to provide that the following language must be stated in this term sheet.

S&P^® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones^® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). These trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P. “Standard & Poor’s^®”, “S&P 500^®” and “S&P^®” are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC. These trademarks have been sublicensed or are expected to be sublicensed for certain purposes by us. The S&P Indices are a product of S&P and/or its affiliates and have been licensed or are expected to be licensed for use by us. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the S&P Indices to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to us with respect to the S&P Indices is the licensing of the S&P Indices and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its third-party licensors. The S&P Indices are determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to us or the notes. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take our needs or the needs of holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P Indices will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its subsidiaries are not investment advisors. Inclusion of a security or futures contract within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security or futures contract, nor is it considered to be investment advice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may independently issue and/or sponsor financial products unrelated to the notes currently being issued by us, but which may be similar to and competitive with the notes. In addition, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may trade financial products which are linked to the performance of the S&P Indices. It is possible that this trading activity will affect the value of the notes.

S&P DOW JONES INDICES DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, HOLDERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE S&P INDICES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND US, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount.

BofAS has informed us of the information in the following paragraph. MLPF&S will purchase the notes from BofAS for resale, and will receive a selling concession in connection with the sale of the notes in an amount up to the full amount of underwriting discount set forth on the cover of this term sheet.

We will pay a fee to LFT Securities, LLC for providing certain electronic platform services with respect to this offering, which reduces the economic terms of the notes to you. An affiliate of BofAS has an ownership interest in LFT Securities, LLC.

We may deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than one business day following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than one business days from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units. If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S and/or one of its affiliates acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

BofAS has advised us that MLPF&S and BofAS may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices determined by reference to their pricing models at their discretion, and these prices will include MLPF&S’s and BofAS’s trading commissions and mark-ups or mark-downs. MLPF&S and BofAS may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however, neither is obligated to engage in any such transactions. BofAS has advised us that at MLPF&S’s and BofAS’s discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S and BofAS may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S or BofAS for the notes is expected to be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Index and the remaining term of the notes. However, none of us, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates is obligated to purchase your notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the notes.

BofAS has informed us that, as of the date of this term sheet, it expects that if you hold your notes in a BofAS account, the value of the notes shown on your account statement will be based on BofAS’s estimate of the value of the notes if BofAS or another of its affiliates were to make a market in the notes, which it is not obligated to do. That estimate will be based upon the price that BofAS may pay for the notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, as mentioned above, and will include transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the notes.

The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding BMO or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.

An investor’s household, as referenced on the cover of this term sheet, will generally include accounts held by any of the following, as determined by MLPF&S in its discretion and acting in good faith based upon information then available to MLPF&S:

Purchases in retirement accounts will not be considered part of the same household as an individual investor’s personal or other non-retirement account, except for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), simplified employee pension plans (“SEPs”), savings incentive match plan for employees (“SIMPLEs”), and single-participant or owners only accounts (i.e., retirement accounts held by self-employed individuals, business owners or partners with no employees other than their spouses).

Please contact your Merrill financial advisor if you have any questions about the application of these provisions to your specific circumstances or think you are eligible.

Structuring the Notes

The notes are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Index. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness at the time of pricing. In addition, because market-linked notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under these notes at a rate that is more favorable to us than the rate which we refer to as our internal funding rate, which is the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security. This generally relatively lower internal funding rate, which is reflected in the economic terms of the notes, along with costs associated with offering, structuring and hedging the notes, results in the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date being less than the public offering price.

At maturity, we are required to pay the Redemption Amount to holders of the notes, which will be calculated based on the $10 per unit principal amount and will depend on the performance of the Index. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we expect to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with BofAS or one of its affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined by seeking bids from market participants, which may include MLPF&S, BofAS and/or one of their or our respective affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Index, the tenor of the notes and the tenor of the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.

BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include a hedging related charge of approximately $0.05 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit to be credited to BofAS from these transactions. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, additional profits and losses from these hedging arrangements may be realized by our affiliates, MLPF&S, BofAS or any other hedge providers. Any profit in connection with such hedging activity will be in addition to any other compensation that the agent, and their or our respective affiliates receive for the sale of notes, which creates an additional incentive to sell the notes to you.

For further information, see “Risk Factors—Valuation- and Market-related Risks” beginning on page PS-8 and “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” on page PS-22 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences

For a discussion of the material Canadian federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the notes, please see the section entitled “Canadian Federal Income Tax Summary” in the product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

Although there is uncertainty regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes due to the lack of governing authority, in the opinion of our counsel Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, under current law, and based on current market conditions, it is reasonable to treat a note as a single financial contract that is an “open transaction” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, because our counsel’s opinion is based in part on market conditions as of the date of this document, it is subject to confirmation in the final pricing supplement. Assuming this treatment of the notes is respected, the tax consequences are as outlined in the discussion under “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders—LIRNs Treated as Open Transactions” in the accompanying product supplement.

We do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding the treatment of the notes. If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment of the notes, the tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the notes, including the timing and character of income recognized by U.S. investors, and the withholding tax consequences to non-U.S. investors, might be materially and adversely affected. For example, under one alternative characterization the notes may be treated as contingent payment debt instruments, which would require U.S. investors to accrue income periodically based on a “comparable yield” and generally would require non-U.S. investors to certify their non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8 to avoid a 30% (or a lower treaty rate) U.S. withholding tax. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar financial instruments and have indicated that such transactions may be the subject of future regulations or other guidance. Furthermore, members of Congress have proposed legislative changes to the tax treatment of derivative contracts. Any legislation, Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

As discussed in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% (or lower treaty rate) withholding tax on “dividend equivalents” paid or deemed paid to non-U.S. investors with respect to certain financial instruments linked to equities that could pay U.S.-source dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes (“underlying securities”), as defined under the applicable Treasury regulations, or indices that include underlying securities. Section 871(m) generally applies to financial instruments that substantially replicate the economic performance of one or more underlying securities, as determined based on tests set forth in the applicable Treasury regulations. Pursuant to an IRS notice, Section 871(m) will not apply to notes issued before January 1, 2027 that do not have a delta of one with respect to any underlying security. Based on the terms of the notes and current market conditions, we expect that the notes will not have a delta of one with respect to any underlying security on the pricing date. However, we will provide an updated determination in the final pricing supplement. Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. Section 871(m) is complex and its application may depend on a non-U.S. investor’s particular circumstances, including whether the non-U.S. investor enters into other transactions with respect to an underlying security. If withholding is required, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to the amounts so withheld. Non-U.S. investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the notes.

Both U.S. and non-U.S. investors considering an investment in the notes should read the discussion under “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement and consult their tax advisors regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative treatments, and any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.