Investments

Understanding Risk

Risk is simply how far up or down the value of an investment may go over a short period of time. A risky fund will normally have greater market volatility than a more conservative one.

Higher risk generally means potentially higher rates of return over a long period of time. In the short term, there is a greater likelihood that a high-risk fund may decrease in value.

Lower risk means less market volatility and potentially lower long-term rates of return.

You can select from several investment options offered by the Plan. Each investment option has its own specific objective. You are responsible for choosing how to invest your Plan account in one or more of the available investment options. The prospectuses on each of the investment choices offered are available upon request by contacting Merrill Lynch at 1-800-228-4015. You can also view and print a prospectus by accessing Merrill Lynch’s website, Benefits OnLine at www.benefits.ml.com. Furthermore, the website offers investment education materials and interactive planning tools.

The Tribal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (TERISA) imposes certain duties on the parties who are responsible for the operation of the Plan. These parties, called fiduciaries, have a duty to invest Plan assets in a prudent manner. However, an exception exists for plans that comply with TERISA and permit participants to exercise control over the investment of the assets in their accounts and choose from a broad range of investment options. To the extent participants in the Plan exercise such investment control, this Plan is intended to constitute a plan as described in TERISA and applicable regulations. This means that the Plan fiduciaries are relieved from liability for any losses that are the direct and necessary result of investment instructions given by participants or beneficiaries of this Plan.

Investing Your Contributions

When you make your investment selections, the choices you make apply to both your salary contribution and the MPTN matching contribution. For example, say you select four investment choices and allocate your salary contribution among those four selections equally. Your salary contribution and the MPTN matching contribution will both be allocated on a 25% basis to each selection.

You may change the way your future contributions are invested as frequently as once each day. You can transfer your accumulated savings from one investment choice to another once each day as well (subject to certain restrictions). If you make your changes by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, your changes will be effective on the next trading day.

To make changes in the way your contributions are invested, call Merrill Lynch’s Participant Service Center at 1-800-228-4015 or access Benefits OnLine at www.benefits.ml.com.

• The Participant Service Center offers the choice of using the automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System or speaking directly with a Participant Service Representative.
  • The IVR System is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Participant Service Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern Time, on all business days that the New York Stock Exchange is open.
  • Benefits OnLine is Merrill Lynch’s secure website that allows access to your account.

Diversification: The Best Way to Manage Risk

Diversifying your investments means investing in several different investment choices. By allocating your contributions to several choices, you reduce the risk that one fund’s poor performance will have a big impact on your total account balance. Spreading your money among several different choices can help you even out the performance of your account over time. The following free investment services offered by the Plan can help you manage your investment risk:

• GoalManager Portfolio Rebalancing Service
  If you are not sure how to establish a diversified 401(k) investment portfolio, or don’t have time to choose individual investment options, this easy service might be the right choice for you. You can select from five pre-mixed models ranging from lower risk/lower potential reward to higher risk/higher potential reward that represents your investment style and level of risk you are comfortable with. Your selected model will be rebalanced every 90 days to ensure that its original asset mix is maintained.

• Advice Access Service
  When you sign up for Advice Access, this service will adjust your contribution rate and investment allocation (upon your approval) to match its proposed strategy. Advice Access offers the following three implementation options to choose from.

1. 1. PersonalManager will comprehensively review your personal information approximately every 90 days. Based on any changes in your circumstances, the service will review your investment options and the percentage invested in each one, and make changes as needed. If no changes are needed, it will rebalance your account to maintain the original recommended allocation.
   2. Portfolio Rebalancing will implement the recommendations (or your own investment strategy, if you choose) and then maintains that investment mix until you change it.
   3. One-Time Implementation implements initial recommendations. Further account changes would be your decision.

Plan Fees

The law requires that applicable fees be disclosed to you. It is important that you understand the costs associated with the Plan and the impact these costs may have on savings.

• Investment Fees
  Asset-based fees include investment management fees and other operating expenses of the Plan’s investment options.  Investment management fees vary by investment option and include the cost of administering the investment fund options.  These fees are described in each fund prospectus and can be accessed through Benefits OnLine at www.benefits.ml.com and by contacting the Participant Service Center at 1-800-228-4015.

• Plan Administration Fees
  Generally, Plan administration fees include expenses associated with recordkeeping, compliance support, trustee services, and other administrative services. Recordkeeping fees, for example, are associated with daily administration of the Plan.  You are not affected by the cost of these activities.

• Individual Services Fees
  Transaction-based fees are charged to your account for specific transactions and services such as loan set-up fees ($40 per loan) and overnight check services ($25 per check). This category also includes fees relating to certain sales and purchases of investments, such as redemption fees.

The fee structure is subject to change.  Additional information about each fund option, including prospectuses and other Plan information such as investment performance and value of shares offered within the Plan, is available through Benefits OnLine at www.benefits.ml.com or by calling the Participant Service Center at 1-800-228-4015.