Legal Entities

Bank of America legal entities that utilize the names Bank of America, Banc of America, U.S. Trust, Merrill,

and BofA Securities, as well as the following entities: Managed Account Advisors LLC and BAL

Investment & Advisory, Inc.  This policy explains how these legal entities (“Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) use cookies and similar tracking technologies. 

Introduction

The use of cookies and similar tracking technologies is a common internet practice. We have developed this Policy to provide general information on cookies and similar tracking technologies (including pixel tags, web beacons, clear GIFs and Flash objects) which we will refer to as “Cookies”. 

Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your computer, smartphone, tablet or other mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are useful in a number of ways, including allowing a website you use to recognize your device, keep track of pages visited and even remember your preferences. This information is used for security purposes, to facilitate navigation, to display information more effectively, and to personalize the user’s experience. Cookies are also used to gather statistical information about how the website is used in order to continually improve website design and functionality and assist with resolving questions regarding the websites.

Attributes of Cookies

Cookies set by us are called first party cookies. We also have third party cookies which are set by partners who have contracts with us. Third party cookie information can only be used for the purposes for which we have stated in the contract. There can be first and/or third party cookies within any of the below Categories of Cookies.

Cookies have a duration period. Cookies that expire at the end of a browser session are called “session” cookies.  Cookies that are stored longer are called “persistent” cookies.  There can be session and/ or persistent cookies within any of the below Categories of Cookies except for Geolocation Cookies which are only session cookies. 

Categories of Cookies

Below is a list of the types of cookies used in our applications and mobile sites. Our applications and mobile sites are scanned with our cookie scanning tool regularly to maintain a list as accurate as possible. We classify cookies into the following categories: 

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Without this information, some services you have asked for cannot be provided. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms.    

Preference Cookies

Preference cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization by allowing a website to remember choices you make. These cookies can be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you may have customized. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for such as watching a video or commenting on a blog.  

Analytic Cookies

Analytic cookies enable us to measure and improve the performance of our site. These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often and if they get error messages from web pages.  These cookies can also be used to make collective inferences based on choices and browsing behavior for marketing and advertising research. 

Advertising Cookies

Advertising cookies are used to deliver advertisements that may be relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They are usually placed through our site by our advertising partners and remember that you have visited a website. This information may be shared with other organizations such as advertisers. 

Geolocation Cookies

Geolocation Cookies allow us to determine your location in order to provide you with information you request such as the location of the nearest office. Consent for these cookies is requested at the time of the request and the information is not retained after the session ends. 

How to manage cookies

You have choices about how cookies are used during your visits to our sites and apps. 

When you access our sites or apps, you are able to opt out of Online Behavioral Advertising which is tailored content and advertising based on your online behavior. If you opt out of this advertising, you may still receive untailored advertising from us. 

Additionally when you access our sites or apps and in compliance with local regulations, you may be presented with a Cookie Banner where you can opt in to or out of certain cookies. You may not opt out of strictly necessary cookies which ensure the site or app works properly; however you may opt in to or opt out of the other cookie types mentioned above through the Cookie Preference Center. If you do not make a selection, we will default to opt you out of all cookies except strictly necessary cookies, but you will be presented with the Cookie Banner each time you visit the site. Your choices will be kept for six (6) months at which point you will be presented with the Cookie Banner again. You can change your choices at any time within the footer of the site or app.

Please note, if you delete cookies, access our sites or apps from a different device, or change web browsers, you may be prompted to make your selections again. 

Vendors / Service Providers

Bank of America works with vendors / service providers who are contractually obligated to comply with our policies to protect information.

We may contract with a vendor / service provider to provide support to us through their sites. If you are on one of our sites or apps and you click a link to one of their sites, you will be presented with a notice that you are continuing to a site that we do not own.  The vendor / service provider is solely responsible for cookies, cookie tracking and your choices for managing cookies on their site.  Please refer to the website's posted privacy policy and terms of use.

When we contract with a vendor / service provider to manage the content of the information within our sites and apps, the vendor is solely responsible for cookies, cookie tracking and your choices for managing cookies.