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Jenna Weisbord, 202-662-0766

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IFA Selects Bank of America Merrill Lynch as Strategic Partner for Retirement Solutions 

WASHINGTON, D.C. Feb. 2 – The International Franchise Association announced that it has selected Bank of America Merrill Lynch to be its strategic partner for retirement benefit solutions. IFA selected Bank of America Merrill Lynch after completing an RFP process in 2017. Bank of America Merrill Lynch will be a key strategic partner offering 401(k) and other retirement solutions to the IFA’s members, along with educational tools focused on retirement benefits for employers and employees alike.

“We are excited to be partnering with Bank of America Merrill Lynch for retirement plans. Not only does Bank of America Merrill Lynch offer world-class products like Merrill Edge and the Franchise Retirement Exchange, they are firmly committed to success in the franchise space,” said IFA President & CEO Robert Cresanti, CFE. “Working together as strategic partners, Bank of America Merrill Lynch will help us ensure our members have affordable and high-quality tools and guidance to plan and execute a prosperous retirement for themselves and their employees.”

The Franchise Retirement Exchange Powered by Merrill Lynch is a program specifically designed for franchise systems to meet their unique needs. Participating franchise businesses have access to exclusive pricing on retirement solutions for themselves and their employees, along with access to financial advisors specializing in franchising and retirement plans for small businesses. Franchise business owners will be able to offer their employees retirement benefits and 401(k) plans at extremely low prices compared to competitors.

“Our national franchise services team at Bank of America is honored to offer franchisees and their employees our best-in-class retirement solutions at an unprecedented value,” said Bank of America’s Director of Franchise Partnerships Kevin Reed. “The IFA partnership is really about making retirement solutions affordable to franchisors and franchisees of any size, so more business owners and employees can have peace of mind about retirement.”

In addition to this beneficial product, IFA members will be able to access all other products and services offered by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Bank of America Merrill Lynch offers financial wellness education, along with a suite of services including financial advising, commercial lending, and personal retirement planning.

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About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating 56 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 7.6 million direct jobs, $674.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development.