GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

Exhibit 4(f)

GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

Dated as of December 14, 2006

By and Between

MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.

as Guarantor

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK

as Trustee

CROSS REFERENCE TABLE ¹

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Table of Contents

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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Guarantee Agreement"), dated as of December 14, 2006, is executed and delivered by MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Securities (as defined herein) of MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL TRUST I, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Trust").

RECITALS

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Trust Agreement (as defined herein), the Trust may issue up to $1,150,000,000 aggregate liquidation amount of capital securities, having a liquidation amount of $25.00 per security and designated the "Trust Preferred Securities" of the Trust (the "Capital Securities") and $1,000,000 aggregate liquidation amount of common securities, having a liquidation amount of $25.00 per security and designated the "Common Securities" of the Trust (the "Common Securities" and, together with the Capital Securities, the "Securities");

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, if an ICONs Default (as defined herein) or a Trust Enforcement Event (as defined herein) has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) under this Guarantee are subordinated to the rights of Holders of Capital Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under this Guarantee;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.1. Interpretation and Definitions.

In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

• (a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1;

  (b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;

  (c) all references to "the Guarantee" or "this Guarantee" are to this Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

  (d) all references in this Guarantee to Articles, Sections and Recitals are to Articles, Sections and Recitals of this Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;

  (e) unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee, a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee;

  (f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa and a reference to any masculine form of a term shall include the feminine form of a term, as applicable; and

  (g) the following terms have the following meanings:

"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.

"Business Day" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Capital Securities" has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

"Common Securities" has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

"Common Stock" means the common stock, par value $1.331/3 per share, of the Guarantor.

"Corporate Trust Office" means the principal office of the Guarantee Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of execution of this Guarantee is located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8 West, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration.

"Distributions" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Global Security" means a fully registered Capital Security Certificate in global form representing the Capital Securities.

"Guarantee Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee.

"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Securities, to the extent not paid by or on behalf of the Trust: (i) any accumulated and unpaid Distributions that are required to be paid on such Securities to the extent the Trust has sufficient funds available therefor at the time, (ii) the Redemption Price, including all accumulated and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption, with respect to any Securities called for redemption by the Trust, to the extent the Trust shall have sufficient funds available therefor at the time or (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust (other than in connection with the distribution of ICONs to the Holders in exchange for Securities as provided in the Trust Agreement or redemption of all the ICONs), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accumulated and unpaid Distributions on the Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Trust has sufficient funds

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available therefor and (b) the amount of assets of the Trust remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Trust.

"Guarantee Trustee" means The Bank of New York, solely in its capacity as guarantee trustee under this Guarantee Agreement and not in its individual capacity, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

"Holder" means any holder of Securities, as registered on the books and records of the Trust; provided, however, that, in determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor or any other obligor on the Capital Securities.

"ICONs" means the series of debentures issued under the Indenture designated the "Income Capital Obligation Notes initially due 2066" held by the Property Trustee.

"ICONs Default" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Indenture" means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of December 14, 2006, as amended by the First Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of December 14, 2006, between Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and The Bank of New York, as amended and supplemented from time to time and under which the ICONs are to be issued.

"List of Holders" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.2 hereof.

"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Majority in Liquidation Amount" means, except as provided in the terms of the Capital Securities or by the Trust Indenture Act, Holders of outstanding Securities, voting together as a single class, or, as the context may require, Holders of outstanding Capital Securities or Holders of outstanding Common Securities, voting separately as a class, who are the record owners of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all outstanding Securities of the relevant class. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite amount of Securities have voted, Securities which are owned by the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor or any other obligor on the Securities shall be disregarded for the purpose of any such determination.

"Officers’ Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed on behalf of such Person by two Authorized Officers (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of such Person. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

• • • (i) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

      (ii) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by each officer on behalf of such Person in rendering the

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• • • Officers’ Certificate;

      (iii) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer on behalf of such Person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

      (iv) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer acting on behalf of such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

"Optional Deferral Period" has the meaning specified in the Indenture.

"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

"Property Trustee" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Redemption Price" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer with direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

"Securities" has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.

"Trust Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of December 14, 2006, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, among the trustees of the Trust named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the Holders, from time to time, of undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the Trust.

"Trust Enforcement Event" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.

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ARTICLE 2

TRUST INDENTURE ACT

SECTION 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application.

• (a) This Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

  (b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the deemed duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed deemed duties shall control.

SECTION 2.2. Lists of Holders of Securities.

• (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year (commencing May 15, 2007), the Guarantor shall provide the Guarantee Trustee at least two Business Days prior to the date for payment of Distributions, a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities ("List of Holders") as of the record date relating to the payment of such Distributions; provided that if the Capital Securities are in global form, the Guarantor shall, within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written request from the Guarantee Trustee for a List of Holders, provide a List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such List of Holders is given to the Guarantee Trustee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Guarantee Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information contained in Lists of Holders given to it, provided that the Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

  (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under, and shall be entitled to the benefits of, Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

SECTION 2.3. Reports by Guarantee Trustee.

Within 60 days after May 15 of each year (commencing with May 15, 2007), the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the Securities such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act.

SECTION 2.4. Periodic Reports to Guarantee Trustee.

The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, and the compliance certificate required by Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at

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the times required by Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, but in no event later than 120 days after the end of each calendar year.

SECTION 2.5. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.

The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

SECTION 2.6. Guarantee Event of Default; Waiver.

The Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities may, by vote or written consent, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Securities, waive any past Guarantee Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Guarantee Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Guarantee Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Guarantee Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 2.7. Guarantee Event of Default; Notice.

• (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a Guarantee Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Securities, notices of all such Guarantee Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice; provided, that the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities.

  (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Guarantee Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice thereof or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of this Guarantee Agreement shall have obtained actual knowledge thereof.

SECTION 2.8. Conflicting Interests.

The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

SECTION 2.9. Disclosure of Information.

The disclosure of information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities in accordance with Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, shall not be deemed to be a violation of any existing

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law, or any law hereafter enacted which does not specifically refer to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, nor shall the Guarantee Trustee be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

SECTION 2.10. Guarantee Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

Upon the occurrence of a Guarantee Event of Default, the Guarantee Trustee is hereby authorized to (a) recover judgment, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, against the Guarantor for the whole amount of any Guarantee Payments remaining unpaid and (b) file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have its claims and those of t