424B2 1 d307131d424b2.htm DECELERATED DOWNSIDE NOTES Decelerated Downside Notes

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

 

Amount

to be

Registered

 

Proposed
Maximum

Offering

Price Per

Unit

  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
 

Amount of
Registration

Fee(1)

Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due February 27, 2015

  4,999,756   $10.00   $49,997,560   $5,729.72

 

 

(1) 

Calculated in accordance with Rule 457(r) of the Securities Act of 1933.


Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration No. 333-158663

 

LOGO

The notes are being issued by Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks. See “Risk Factors” on page TS-6 of this term sheet and beginning on page S-10 of product supplement LIRN-2.

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

 

    

Per Unit

      

Total

        

Public offering price

     $10.000           $49,997,560.00        

Underwriting discount

     $0.225           $1,124,945.10        

Proceeds, before expenses, to BAC

     $9.775           $48,872,614.90        

The notes:

 

        Are Not FDIC Insured    Are Not Bank Guaranteed    May Lose Value  

Merrill Lynch & Co.

February 23, 2012

 

4,999,756 Units

$10 principal amount per unit

CUSIP No. 06051P620

Bank of America

Pricing Date: February 23, 2012

Settlement Date: March 1, 2012

Maturity Date: February 27, 2015

Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index

Maturity of approximately three years

115.7% participation in any increases in the Index

50% participation in any decreases in the Index, with up to 50% of your principal at risk

All payments at maturity subject to the credit risk of Bank of America Corporation

No periodic interest payments

Limited secondary market liquidity, with no exchange listing

Enhanced Return


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Summary

The Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of BAC. The notes provide you with a 115.7% participation in any increases in the S&P 500® Index (the “Index”) and 50% participation in any decreases in the Index, with up to 50% of your principal at risk.

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and the documents listed below (together, the “Note Prospectus”). The documents have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated below or obtained from MLPF&S by calling 1-866-500-5408:

 

  §  

Product supplement LIRN-2 dated April 21, 2009:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000095014409003415/g18702p2e424b5.htm

 

  §  

Series L MTN prospectus supplement dated April 21, 2009 and prospectus dated April 20, 2009:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000095014409003387/g18667b5e424b5.htm

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. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to BAC.

 

Terms of the Notes

 

 

Issuer:  

Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”)

 

Original Offering Price:  

$10.00 per unit

 

Term:  

Approximately three years

 

Market Measure:  

The S&P 500® Index (Bloomberg symbol: “SPX”), a price return index

 

Starting Value:  

1,363.46

 

Ending Value:  

The average of the closing levels of the Market Measure on each scheduled calculation day occurring during the maturity valuation period. The calculation days are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described on page S-24 of product supplement LIRN-2.

 

Threshold Value:  

1,363.46, which is 100% of the Starting Value. Accordingly, you will lose a portion of your investment if the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value.

 

Maturity Valuation Period:  

February 18, 2015, February 19, 2015, February 20, 2015, February 23, 2015 and February 24, 2015

 

Participation Rate:  

115.7%

 

Downside Leverage Factor:  

50%

 

Calculation Agent:  

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a subsidiary of BAC.

 

Fees Charged:  

The public offering price of the notes includes the underwriting discount of $0.225 per unit as listed on the cover page and an additional charge of $0.075 per unit more fully described on page TS-10.

 

Redemption Amount Determination

On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows:

 

LOGO

Because the Threshold Value is equal to the Starting Value, you will lose a portion of your investment if the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value. You may lose up to 50% of the principal amount of your notes.

 

 

 

Notes    TS-2


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Investor Considerations

 

You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:

 

§  

You anticipate that the Index will increase from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

 

§  

You are willing to risk a loss of principal and return if the Index decreases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

 

§  

You are willing to forgo the interest payments that are paid on traditional interest bearing debt securities.

 

§  

You are willing to forego dividends or other benefits of owning the stocks included in the Index.

 

§  

You are willing to accept a limited market for sales prior to maturity, and understand that the market prices for the notes, if any, will be affected by various factors, including our actual and perceived creditworthiness, and the fees charged on the notes, as described on TS-2.

 

§  

You are willing to assume our credit risk, as issuer of the notes, for all payments under the notes, including the Redemption Amount.

The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:

 

§  

You believe that the Index will decrease from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

 

§  

You seek principal protection or preservation of capital.

 

§  

You seek interest payments or other current income on your investment.

 

§  

You want to receive dividends or other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Index.

 

§  

You seek an investment for which there will be a liquid secondary market.

 

§  

You are unwilling or are unable to take market risk on the notes or to take our credit risk as issuer of the notes.

 

 

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

Hypothetical Payout Profile

 

Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index

LOGO

 

 

 

This graph reflects the returns on the notes, based on the Participation Rate of 115.7%, the Downside Leverage Factor of 50% and the Threshold Value of 100% of the Starting Value. The green line reflects the returns on the notes, while the dotted gray line reflects the returns of a direct investment in the stocks included in the Index, excluding dividends.

 

This graph has been prepared for purposes of illustration only.

 

 

Notes    TS-3


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Hypothetical Payments at Maturity

The following table and examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Threshold Value, Ending Value and the term of your investment.

The following table is based on a Starting Value and Threshold Value of 100, the Participation Rate of 115.7% and the Downside Leverage Factor of 50%. It illustrates the effect of a range of Ending Values on the Redemption Amount per unit of the notes and the total rate of return to holders of notes. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.

 

Ending Value

 

Percentage Change from
the Starting

Value to the

Ending Value

 

Redemption
Amount per Unit

 

Total Rate
of Return on
the Notes

    50.00         -50.00 %       $7.500         -25.00 %
    60.00         -40.00 %       $8.000         -20.00 %
    70.00         -30.00 %       $8.500         -15.00 %
    85.00         -15.00 %       $9.250         -7.50 %
    90.00         -10.00 %       $9.500         -5.00 %
    96.00         -4.00 %       $9.800         -2.00 %
    98.00         -2.00 %       $9.900         -1.00 %
    100.00   (1)       0.00 %       $10.000         0.00 %
    105.00         5.00 %       $10.579         5.79 %
    110.00         10.00 %       $11.157         11.57 %
    115.00         15.00 %       $11.736         17.36 %
    120.00         20.00 %       $12.314         23.14 %
    125.00         25.00 %       $12.893         28.93 %
    130.00         30.00 %       $13.471         34.71 %
    135.00         35.00 %       $14.050         40.50 %
    140.00         40.00 %       $14.628         46.28 %
    145.00         45.00 %       $15.207         52.07 %
    150.00         50.00 %       $15.785         57.85 %

 

(1) 

This is the hypothetical Starting Value and Threshold Value. The actual Starting Value is 1,363.46, which was the closing level of the Market Measure on the pricing date.

For recent actual levels of the Market Measure, 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.

 

 

Notes    TS-4


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Redemption Amount Calculation Examples

Example 1

The Ending Value is 70% of the Starting Value:

 

Starting Value:   100   
Ending Value:   70   
Threshold Value:   100   

 

 

$10 -

  [   $10 × 50% ×   (   100.00 –  70.00   )   ]   $8.500 Redemption Amount per unit  
          100.00        

Example 2

The Ending Value is 110% of the Starting Value:

 

Starting Value:   100   
Ending Value:   110   
Threshold Value:   100   

 

 

$10 +

  [   $10 × 115.7% ×   (   110.00 –  100.00   )   ]   $11.157 Redemption Amount per unit  
          100.00        

 

 

Notes    TS-5


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

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 S-10 of product supplement LIRN-2, page S-4 of the MTN prospectus supplement, and page 8 of the prospectus identified above under “Summary.” We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

 

  §  

Depending on the performance of the Index measured shortly before the maturity date, you may lose up to 50% of your principal amount; there is no guaranteed return of 100% of principal.

 

  §  

Your yield may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional debt security of comparable maturity.

 

  §  

Your investment return, if any, may be less than a comparable investment in the stocks included in the Index.

 

  §  

Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. If we become insolvent or are unable to pay our obligations, you may lose your entire investment.

 

  §  

The price at which you may sell the notes in any secondary market may be lower than the price you paid for the notes due to, among other things, the inclusion of fees charged for developing, hedging and distributing of the notes, as described on page TS-10 and various credit, market and economic factors that interrelate in complex and unpredictable ways.

 

  §  

A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. MLPF&S is not obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes.

 

  §  

Our business activities as a full service financial institution, including our commercial and investment banking activities, our hedging and trading activities (including trades in shares of companies included in the Index) and any hedging and trading activities we engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value of the notes and their return and may create conflicts of interest with you.

 

  §  

The Index sponsor may adjust the Index in a way that affects its level, and has no obligation to consider your interests.

 

  §  

You will have no rights of a holder of the securities represented by the Index, and you will not be entitled to receive securities or dividends or other distributions by the issuers of those securities.

 

  §  

While we or our affiliates may from time to time own shares of companies included in the Index, except to the extent that our common stock is included in the Index, we do not control any company included in the Index, and are not responsible for any disclosure made by any other company.

 

  §  

There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent.

 

  §  

The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the notes. See “Summary Tax Consequences” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page S-35 of product supplement LIRN-2.

 

 

Notes    TS-6


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

The Index

All disclosures contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, including, without limitation, its make up, method of calculation, and changes in its components, have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). S&P, which owns the copyright and all other rights to the Index, has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Index. The consequences of S&P discontinuing publication of the Index are discussed in the section entitled “Description of LIRNs—Discontinuance of a Market Measure” beginning on page S-30 of product supplement LIRN-2. None of us, the calculation agent, or the selling agent accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Index or any successor index.

The Index is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement. The calculation of the level of the Index is based on the relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. As of January 31, 2012, 400 companies included in the Index traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and 100 companies included in the Index traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market. On January 31, 2012, the average market capitalization of the companies included in the Index was $23.76 billion. As of that date, the largest component of the Index had a market capitalization of $424.26 billion, and the smallest component of the Index had a market capitalization of $1.27 billion.

S&P chooses companies for inclusion in the Index with the aim of achieving a distribution by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common stock population of its Stock Guide Database of over 10,000 companies, which S&P uses as an assumed model for the composition of the total market. Relevant criteria employed by S&P include the viability of the particular company, the extent to which that company represents the industry group to which it is assigned, the extent to which the market price of that company’s common stock generally is responsive to changes in the affairs of the respective industry and the market value and trading activity of the common stock of that company. Ten main groups of companies constitute the Index, with the approximate percentage of the market capitalization of the Index included in each group as of January 31, 2012 indicated in parentheses: Consumer Discretionary (10.83%); Consumer Staples (10.87%); Energy (11.92%); Financials (14.11%); Health Care (11.69%); Industrials (10.95%); Information Technology (19.60%); Materials (3.73%); Telecommunication Services (2.73%); and Utilities (3.57%). S&P from time to time, in its sole discretion, may add companies to, or delete companies from, the Index to achieve the objectives stated above.

S&P calculates the Index by reference to the prices of the constituent stocks of the Index without taking account of the value of dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the Index constituent stocks and received the dividends paid on those stocks.

Computation of the Index

While S&P currently employs the following methodology to calculate the Index, no assurance can be given that S&P will not modify or change this methodology in a manner that may affect the Redemption Amount.

Historically, the market value of any component stock of the Index was calculated as the product of the market price per share and the number of then outstanding shares of such component stock. In March 2005, S&P began shifting the Index halfway from a market capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted formula, before moving the Index to full float adjustment on September 16, 2005. S&P’s criteria for selecting stocks for the Index did not change with the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects each company’s weight in the Index.

Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the Index reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not all of a company’s outstanding shares. S&P defines three groups of shareholders whose holdings are subject to float adjustment:

 

  §  

holdings by other publicly traded corporations, venture capital firms, private equity firms, strategic partners, or leveraged buyout groups;

 

  §  

holdings by government entities, including all levels of government in the U.S. or foreign countries; and

 

  §  

holdings by current or former officers and directors of the company, founders of the company, or family trusts of officers, directors, or founders, as well as holdings of trusts, foundations, pension funds, employee stock ownership plans, or other investment vehicles associated with and controlled by the company.

However, treasury stock, stock options, restricted shares, equity participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock, and rights are not part of the float. In cases where holdings in a group exceed 10% of the outstanding shares of a company, the holdings of that group are excluded from the float-adjusted count of shares to be used in the index calculation. Mutual funds, investment advisory firms, pension funds, or foundations not associated with the company and investment funds in insurance companies, shares of a U.S. company traded in Canada as “exchangeable shares,” shares that trust beneficiaries may buy or sell without difficulty or significant additional expense beyond typical brokerage fees, and, if a company has multiple classes of stock outstanding, shares in an unlisted or non-traded class if such shares are convertible by shareholders without undue delay and cost, are also part of the float.

For each stock, an investable weight factor (“IWF”) is calculated by dividing the available float shares, defined as the total shares outstanding less shares held in one or more of the three groups listed above, where the group holdings exceed 10% of the outstanding shares, by the total shares outstanding. The float-adjusted index is then calculated by multiplying, for each stock in the Index, the IWF, the price, and total number of shares outstanding, adding together the resulting amounts, and then dividing that sum by the index

 

 

Notes    TS-7


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

divisor. For companies with multiple classes of stock, S&P calculates the weighted average IWF for each stock using the proportion of the total company market capitalization of each share class as weights.

The Index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The level of the Index reflects the total market value of all 500 component stocks relative to the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. An indexed number is used to represent the results of this calculation in order to make the level easier to work with and track over time. The actual total market value of the component stocks during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943 has been set to an indexed level of 10. This is often indicated by the notation 1941- 43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the Index is computed by dividing the total market value of the component stocks by the “index divisor.” By itself, the index divisor is an arbitrary number. However, in the context of the calculation of the Index, it serves as a link to the original base period level of the Index. The index divisor keeps the Index comparable over time and is the manipulation point for all adjustments to the Index, which is index maintenance.

Index Maintenance

Index maintenance includes monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, share changes, stock splits, stock dividends, and stock price adjustments due to company restructuring or spinoffs. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the companies in the Index, and do not require index divisor adjustments.

To prevent the level of the Index from changing due to corporate actions, corporate actions which affect the total market value of the Index require an index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index divisor for the change in market value, the level of the Index remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the Index. Index divisor adjustments are made after the close of trading and after the calculation of the Index closing level.

Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, tender offers, Dutch auctions, or exchange offers are made as soon as reasonably possible. All other changes of 5.00% or more (due to, for example, company stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participation units, at-the-market offerings, or other recapitalizations) are made weekly and are announced on Wednesdays for implementation after the close of trading on the following Wednesday. Changes of less than 5.00% due to a company’s acquisition of another company in the Index are made as soon as reasonably possible. All other changes of less than 5.00% are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, and are usually announced two to five days prior.

Changes in IWFs of more than five percentage points caused by corporate actions (such as merger and acquisition activity, restructurings, or spinoffs) will be made as soon as reasonably possible. Other changes in IWFs will be made annually when IWFs are reviewed.

The following graph shows the monthly historical performance of the Index in the period from January 2007 through January 2012. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information from Bloomberg L.P. On the pricing date, the closing level of the Index was 1,363.46.

 

LOGO

 

 

Notes    TS-8


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

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 and trading pattern of the Index.

License Agreement

S&P and MLPF&S have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement providing for the license to MLPF&S, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use the Index in connection with this offering. “Standard & Poor’s®”, “Standard & Poor’s 500TM”, “S&P 500®”, and “S&P®” are trademarks of S&P and have been licensed for use in this offering by our subsidiary, MLPF&S. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P, and S&P makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes. The license agreement provides that the following language must be stated in this term sheet:

“The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P. S&P makes 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 Index to track general stock market performance. S&P’s only relationship to MLPF&S and to us (other than transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business) is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of S&P and of the Index which is determined, composed, and calculated by S&P without regard to MLPF&S, us, or the notes. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of MLPF&S, our needs, or the needs of the holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Index. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of the sale of the notes, prices at which the notes are to initially be sold, or quantities of the notes to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the notes.

S&P DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED IN THE INDEX. S&P SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS IN THE INDEX. S&P MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY MLPF&S, US, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED IN THE INDEX IN CONNECTION WITH THE RIGHTS LICENSED UNDER THE LICENSE AGREEMENT DESCRIBED IN THIS TERM SHEET OR FOR ANY OTHER USE. S&P MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED IN THE INDEX. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THESE DAMAGES.”

 

 

Notes    TS-9


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than three business days 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 three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than three business days 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 acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

MLPF&S may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. MLPF&S may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however it is not obligated to engage in any such transactions.

Role of MLPF&S and Conflicts of Interest

MLPF&S, a broker-dealer subsidiary of BAC, is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and will participate as selling agent in the distribution of the notes. Accordingly, offerings of the notes will conform to the requirements of Rule 5121 applicable to FINRA members. MLPF&S may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the account holder.

Under our distribution agreement with MLPF&S, MLPF&S 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. The public offering price includes, in addition to the underwriting discount, a charge of approximately $0.075 per unit. This charge reflects an estimated profit earned by MLPF&S from transactions through which the notes are structured and resulting obligations hedged. The fees charged reduce the economic terms of the notes. Actual profits or losses from these hedging transactions may be more or less than this amount. In entering into the hedging arrangements for the notes, we seek competitive terms and may enter into hedging transactions with a division of MLPF&S or one of our subsidiaries or affiliates. For further information regarding these charges, our trading and hedging activities and conflicts of interest, see “Risk Factors—General Risks Relating to LIRNs,” beginning on page S-10 of product supplement LIRN-2 and “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page S-21 of product supplement LIRN-2.

 

 

Notes    TS-10


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Summary Tax Consequences

You should consider the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including the following:

 

   

There is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the notes.

 

   

You agree with us (in the absence of an administrative determination, or judicial ruling to the contrary) to characterize and treat the notes for all tax purposes as a single financial contract with respect to the Index.

 

   

Under this characterization and tax treatment of the notes, a U.S. Holder (as defined in product supplement LIRN-2) generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon maturity or upon a sale or exchange of the notes prior to maturity. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the notes for more than one year.

 

   

No assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with this characterization and tax treatment.

 

   

With respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, certain U.S. Holders, including individuals, estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on unearned income. For individual U.S. Holders, the additional Medicare tax applies to the lesser of (i) “net investment income,” or (ii) the excess of “modified adjusted gross income” over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly or $125,000 if married and filing separately). “Net investment income” generally equals the taxpayer’s gross investment income reduced by the deductions that are allocable to such income. Investment income generally includes passive income such as interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, and capital gains.

You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the notes, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax laws. See the discussion under the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page S-35 of product supplement LIRN-2.

Validity of the Notes

In the opinion of McGuireWoods LLP, as counsel to BAC, when the notes offered by this Note Prospectus have been completed and executed by BAC, and authenticated by the trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Senior Indenture, and delivered against payment therefor as contemplated by this Note Prospectus, such notes will be legal, valid and binding obligations of BAC, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) (or any successor statute) and any bank regulatory powers now or hereafter in effect and to the application of principles of public policy. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the Federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing). In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the Senior Indenture, the validity, binding nature and enforceability of the Senior Indenture with respect to the trustee, the legal capacity of natural persons, the genuineness of signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to McGuireWoods LLP as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to McGuireWoods LLP as photocopies, the authenticity of the originals of such copies and certain factual matters, all as stated in the letter of McGuireWoods LLP dated April 28, 2011, which has been filed as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 28, 2011.

 

 

Notes    TS-11


Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Index due February 27, 2015

 

Where You Can Find More Information

We have filed a registration statement (including a product supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this term sheet relates. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC, for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we, any agent, or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you these documents if you so request by calling MLPF&S toll-free at 1-866-500-5408.

Market-Linked Investments Classification

 

LOGO

MLPF&S classifies certain market-linked investments (the “Market-Linked Investments”) into categories, each with different investment characteristics. The following description is meant solely for informational purposes and is not intended to represent any particular Enhanced Return Market-Linked Investment or guarantee any performance.

Enhanced Return Market-Linked Investments are short- to medium-term investments that offer you a way to enhance exposure to a particular market view without taking on a similarly enhanced level of market downside risk. They can be especially effective in a flat to moderately positive market (or, in the case of bearish investments, a flat to moderately negative market). In exchange for the potential to receive better-than market returns on the linked asset, you must generally accept market downside risk and capped upside potential. As these investments are not market downside protected, and do not assure full repayment of principal at maturity, you need to be prepared for the possibility that you may lose all or part of your investment.

 

 

Notes    TS-12