Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration No. 333-257399

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell the depositary shares until we deliver a final prospectus supplement. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell these depositary shares or a solicitation of an offer to buy these depositary shares in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated January 20, 2022

                Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/25^th Interest in a Share of     % Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series RR

Bank of America Corporation is offering depositary shares, each representing a 1/25^th interest in a share of our perpetual     % Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series RR, $0.01 par value, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share). Each depositary share entitles the holder, through the depository for the Preferred Stock, to a proportional fractional interest in all rights and preferences of the Preferred Stock represented by the depositary share.

Holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, only when, as, and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and to the extent we have funds legally available for the payment of dividends, non-cumulative cash dividends, as described in this prospectus supplement, payable in arrears, for each quarterly Dividend Period that occurs (1) during the period from, and including, the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, January     , 2027, at a fixed rate equal to     % per annum (equivalent to $         per depositary share per annum), and (2) from, and including, January     , 2027, during each Reset Period, at a rate per annum equal to the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate determined as set forth in this prospectus supplement as of the most recent Reset Dividend Determination Date, plus a spread of     % per annum.

When, as, and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, we will make quarterly dividend payments, in arrears, on January     , April     , July      and October      of each year beginning on April     , 2022.

We may at our option, as described herein, redeem the Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date on or after January     , 2027, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share), plus any accrued and unpaid dividends for the then-current Dividend Period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. We also may redeem the Preferred Stock upon the occurrence of certain events involving capital treatment as described in this prospectus supplement. Redeeming the Preferred Stock will cause the corresponding depositary shares to be redeemed.

We do not intend to apply to list the depositary shares or the Preferred Stock on any securities exchange.

Investing in the depositary shares involves risks, including the risks that actions by regulators and the terms of certain of our debt securities may prevent us from paying dividends on the Preferred Stock under certain circumstances. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9.

Certain capitalized or other defined terms that are used in this prospectus supplement have the specific meanings set forth in the Glossary beginning on page S-42.

The depositary shares are unsecured and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank. The depositary shares are not guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the depositary shares in book-entry only form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company on or about January     , 2022.

Sole Book-Runner

BofA Securities

Prospectus Supplement to Prospectus dated August 4, 2021

January     , 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement describes the specific terms of the Preferred Stock and the related depositary shares, and supplements the description of our preferred stock and depositary shares included in the attached prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. If information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the attached prospectus, the information in this prospectus supplement supersedes the information in the attached prospectus. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus is accurate as of any date other than its respective date.

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the depositary shares in any jurisdiction in which that offer or solicitation is unlawful. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus and the offering of the depositary shares in some jurisdictions may be restricted by law. If you have received this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus, you should find out about and observe these restrictions. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus must inform themselves about and observe any restrictions relating to the offering of the depositary shares and the distribution of this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus outside of the United States. See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)—Selling Restrictions.”

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus have been prepared on the basis that any offer of depositary shares in any Relevant Member State will be made under an exemption under the EU Prospectus Regulation, from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of the depositary shares. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in that Relevant Member State of any depositary shares which are contemplated in this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or any of the underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the EU Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the EU Prospectus Regulation, in each case, in relation to such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, and neither we nor they authorize, the making of any offer of the depositary shares in circumstances in which an obligation arises for us or any underwriter to publish or supplement a prospectus for the purposes of the EU Prospectus Regulation in relation to such offer. Neither this prospectus supplement nor the attached prospectus constitutes an approved prospectus for the purposes of the EU Prospectus Regulation.

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus have been prepared on the basis that any offer of depositary shares in the United Kingdom (“UK”) will be made under an exemption under the UK Prospectus Regulation, from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of the depositary shares. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in the UK of any depositary shares which are contemplated in this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or any of the underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation, in each case, in relation to such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, and neither we nor they authorize, the making of any offer of the depositary shares in circumstances in which an obligation arises for us or any underwriter to publish or supplement a prospectus for the purposes of the UK Prospectus Regulation in relation to such offer. Neither this prospectus supplement nor the attached prospectus constitutes an approved prospectus for the purposes of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus are only for distribution to and directed at: (i) in the UK, persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the “Order”) and high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order; (ii) persons who are outside the UK; and

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(iii) any other person to whom it can otherwise be lawfully distributed (all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus relate is available only to and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons, and any person who is not a Relevant Person should not rely on them.

IMPORTANT—EEA RETAIL INVESTORS—The depositary shares are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, a “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended, the “Insurance Distribution Directive”) where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the EU Prospectus Regulation. Consequently, no key information document required by the EU PRIIPs Regulation for offering or selling the depositary shares or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the depositary shares or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the EU PRIIPs Regulation.

IMPORTANT—UK RETAIL INVESTORS—The depositary shares are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the UK. For these purposes, a “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA and the regulations made under the EUWA; (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the FSMA and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA and the regulations made under the EUWA; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. Consequently, no key information document required by the UK PRIIPs Regulation for offering or selling the depositary shares or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the depositary shares or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation.

Notification under Section 309B(1) of the SFA. The depositary shares are prescribed capital markets products (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in the MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

INVESTORS SHOULD NOTE THAT BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION IS NOT LICENSED TO OPERATE AS A BANK IN ITALY.

Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus supplement to “Bank of America,” “the Corporation,” “we,” “us,” and “our” are to Bank of America Corporation excluding its consolidated subsidiaries. Certain capitalized or other defined terms that are used in this prospectus supplement have the specific meanings set forth in the Glossary beginning on page S-42. Capitalized or other defined terms used, but not defined, in this prospectus supplement are defined in the attached prospectus.

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RISK FACTORS

Your investment in the depositary shares involves risks. This prospectus supplement does not describe all of those risks.

In consultation with your own financial and legal advisors, you should consider carefully the following risks as well as the risks related to our preferred stock set forth in the attached prospectus beginning on page 9 before deciding whether an investment in the depositary shares is suitable for you. The depositary shares are not an appropriate investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about significant features of the depositary shares, the Preferred Stock, or financial matters in general. You should not purchase depositary shares unless you understand and know that you can bear these investment risks.

You should review carefully the information in this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus about the Preferred Stock, depositary shares, and other securities. For more information regarding risks that may materially affect our business and results, please refer to the information under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein.

This discussion of risks uses a number of capitalized or other defined terms that have the specific meanings set forth in the Glossary beginning on page S-42.

Our ability to pay dividends on our equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, may be limited by regulatory policies and requirements.

We are subject to various regulatory policies and requirements relating to capital actions, including payment of dividends. For instance, Federal Reserve regulations require major U.S. bank holding companies to submit a capital plan as part of CCAR. Our ability to pay dividends depends in part on our ability to maintain capital levels above minimum requirements plus buffers. To the extent that the Federal Reserve increases our stress capital buffer (“SCB”), GSIB surcharge or countercyclical capital buffer, our ability to pay or increase dividends could be limited. As part of its CCAR, the Federal Reserve conducts stress testing on parts of our business using hypothetical economic scenarios prepared by the Federal Reserve. Those scenarios may affect our CCAR stress test results, which may impact the level of our SCB. Additionally, the Federal Reserve may impose limitations or prohibitions on taking capital actions, such as paying or increasing common stock dividends or paying preferred stock dividends. If the Federal Reserve finds that any of our U.S. bank subsidiaries are not “well-capitalized” or “well-managed,” we would be required to enter into an agreement with the Federal Reserve to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements, which may contain additional limitations or conditions relating to our activities. Additionally, the applicable federal regulatory authority is authorized to determine, under certain circumstances relating to the financial condition of a bank or bank holding company that the payment of dividends would be an unsafe or unsound practice and to prohibit payment thereof.

Our ability to pay dividends on our equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, depends upon our receipt of funds from our subsidiaries and applicable laws and regulations, and actions we have taken pursuant to our resolution plan (as described below), could restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to transfer funds to us.

We are a holding company and conduct substantially all of our operations through our subsidiaries. We depend on dividends and other distributions, loans and other payments from our subsidiaries to fund dividend payments on our equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, and to fund payments on our other obligations. Any inability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make payments to us may adversely affect our cash flow and financial condition. Many of our subsidiaries, including our bank and broker-dealer subsidiaries, are subject to laws that restrict dividend payments or authorize regulatory bodies to block or reduce the flow of funds from those subsidiaries to us or to our other subsidiaries. In addition, our bank and broker-dealer subsidiaries are

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subject to restrictions on their ability to lend or transact with affiliates and to minimum regulatory capital and liquidity requirements. Lower earnings in our subsidiaries can reduce the amount of funds available to us. Adverse business and economic conditions, including changes in interest and currency exchange rates, illiquidity or volatility in areas where we have concentrated credit risk, and a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, could affect our businesses and results of operations. Intercompany arrangements we have entered into in connection with our resolution planning could restrict the amount of funding available to us from our subsidiaries under certain adverse conditions, as described below under “—A resolution under our single point of entry resolution strategy could materially adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and our ability to pay our obligations and dividends on the Preferred Stock.” These restrictions could prevent those subsidiaries from paying dividends or making other distributions to us or otherwise providing funds to us that we need in order to pay dividends or make payments on our securities, including payment of dividends on the Preferred Stock. Also, our right to participate in any distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon such subsidiary’s liquidation or otherwise will be subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent that any of our claims as a creditor of such subsidiary may be recognized.

A resolution under our single point of entry resolution strategy could materially adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and our ability to pay our obligations and dividends on the Preferred Stock.

We are required periodically to submit a plan to the FDIC and the Federal Reserve describing our resolution strategy under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the event of material financial distress or failure. In our current plan, our preferred resolution strategy is a single point of entry strategy. This strategy provides that only Bank of America (the parent holding company) files for resolution under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and contemplates providing certain key operating subsidiaries with sufficient capital and liquidity to operate through severe stress and to enable such subsidiaries to continue operating or be wound down in a solvent manner following a Bank of America bankruptcy. We have entered into intercompany arrangements governing the contribution of most of our capital and liquidity to these key subsidiaries. As part of these arrangements, we have transferred most of our assets (and have agreed to transfer additional assets) to a wholly-owned holding company subsidiary in exchange for a subordinated note. Certain of our remaining assets secure our ongoing obligations under these intercompany arrangements. The wholly-owned holding company subsidiary also has provided us with a committed line of credit that, in addition to our cash, dividends and interest payments, including interest payments we receive in respect of the subordinated note, may be used to fund our obligations. These intercompany arrangements include provisions to terminate the line of credit and forgive the subordinated note and require us to contribute our remaining financial assets to the wholly-owned holding company subsidiary if our projected liquidity resources deteriorate so severely that our resolution becomes imminent, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and ability to meet our obligations on our securities, including payment of dividends on the Preferred Stock. In addition, our preferred resolution strategy could result in holders of the Preferred Stock and the depositary shares being in a worse position and suffering greater losses than would have been the case under a bankruptcy proceeding or other resolution scenarios or plans.

If we enter a resolution proceeding, holders of our unsecured debt and equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, would be at risk of absorbing our losses.

If we enter a resolution proceeding under either the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or Title II of the Financial Reform Act, our losses would be imposed first on holders of our equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, and thereafter on our unsecured debt, and some or all of such equity securities and unsecured debt could be significantly reduced or eliminated as a result of such proceeding.

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Cash dividends on the Preferred Stock are discretionary and non-cumulative and subject to certain limitations.

Unlike indebtedness, where principal and interest customarily are payable on specified due dates, cash dividends on the Preferred Stock are payable only when, as and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors. Consequently, if our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof does not authorize and declare a dividend for any Dividend Period prior to the related Dividend Payment Date, holders of the Preferred Stock would not be entitled to receive a dividend for that Dividend Period, and such unpaid dividend will cease to accrue and be payable. We will have no obligation to pay dividends accrued for a Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for that period if our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof has not declared a dividend before the related Dividend Payment Date, whether or not dividends on the Preferred Stock or any other series of our preferred stock or our common stock are declared for any future Dividend Period. In addition, in the case of the Preferred Stock, as a Delaware corporation, we are restricted to making dividend payments and redemption payments on the Preferred Stock out of legally available funds. Further, under the Federal Reserve’s risk-based capital rules related to additional Tier 1 capital instruments, dividends on the Preferred Stock may only be paid out of our net income, retained earnings or surplus related to other additional Tier 1 capital instruments.

The Dividend Rate will reset on the First Reset Date and each subsequent Reset Date and any dividends declared may be less than the initial fixed Dividend Rate of     % in effect until the First Reset Date.

The annual Dividend Rate on the Preferred Stock applicable for each Reset Period will equal the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate determined as set forth in this prospectus supplement (or then-current Benchmark) as of the most recent Reset Dividend Determination Date plus     % per annum. Therefore, the Dividend Rate at which dividends accrue after the First Reset Date could be more or less than the fixed Dividend Rate applicable for the period from, and including, the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date. We have no control over the factors that may affect the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate, including geopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial or other events that may impact the market generally and Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates specifically.

The historical Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates are not an indication of future Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates.

In the past, Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates have experienced significant fluctuations. You should note that historical levels, fluctuations and trends of Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates are not necessarily indicative of future levels. Any historical upward or downward trend in Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates is not an indication that Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates are more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time before or after the First Reset Date, and you should not take the historical Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rates as an indication of future rates.

From and including the First Reset Date, the value of and return on the depositary shares representing interests in the Preferred Stock may be adversely affected if the Dividend Rate applicable for a Reset Period cannot be determined using the initial method provided to determine the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate or is determined using a Replacement Rate.

If on any Reset Dividend Determination Date for which the Dividend Rate is determined using the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate, the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be determined in accordance with the initial method for determining such rate set forth in the third paragraph under “Description of the Preferred Stock—Dividends—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period,” then the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate will be determined by interpolation as an alternative method as set forth in such paragraph. If the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be determined in accordance with either such method, the Dividend Rate will be determined using a Replacement Rate. Such use of interpolation to

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determine the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate or use of a Replacement Rate may result in a Dividend Rate and dividend payments that are lower than or that do not otherwise correlate over time with the Dividend Rate and dividend payments that would have been made on the Preferred Stock if the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate had been determined using the initial method for determining such rate set forth in “Description of the Preferred Stock—Dividends—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period.”

If a Rate Substitution Event has occurred with respect to the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or the then-current Benchmark) as described under “Description of the Preferred Stock—Dividends—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate For Each Reset Period,” and we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that there is no Replacement Rate to the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or then-applicable Benchmark), then the Dividend Rate applicable for the relevant Reset Period will be: (a) with respect to the first Reset Period,     % or (b) with respect to any Reset Period other than the first Reset Period, the Dividend Rate that was applicable for the preceding Reset Period. In any such case, the Dividend Rate as specified in clause (a) or (b) in the preceding sentence, could remain in effect for so long as the Preferred Stock is outstanding.

From and including the First Reset Date, we or our designee (after consulting with us) may make determinations with respect to any Replacement Rate, and the use thereof to determine the applicable Dividend Rate and related matters that could affect the market value of your depositary shares.

From and including the First Reset Date, if we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that the then-current Benchmark (which, as of the Original Issue Date for the Preferred Stock, is the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate) cannot be determined in the manner then applicable for such determination (which, as of the Original Issue Date, is pursuant to the methods described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the third paragraph under “Description of the Preferred Stock—Dividends—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period”), the terms of the Preferred Stock expressly authorize us or our designee, after consulting with us, to determine whether there is a Replacement Rate with respect to the then-applicable Benchmark (which, as of the Original Issue Date, is the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate) and, if applicable, to determine and make certain Adjustments with respect to such Replacement Rate and the use thereof to determine the Dividend Rate and matters related to the dividends payable during the applicable Reset Period, as described under “Description of the Preferred Stock—Dividends—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period.”

Certain of these determinations, and other related determinations described herein, may require the exercise of discretion and the making of subjective judgments by us or our designee, after consulting with us. In making these potentially subjective determinations, we or our designee may have economic interests that are adverse to your interests, and such determinations may adversely affect the return on, value of and market for the depositary shares representing interests in the Preferred Stock. When performing such functions, potential conflicts of interest may exist between us or our designee and holders of the depositary shares representing interests in the Preferred Stock.

If we are deferring payments on our outstanding junior subordinated notes or are in default under the indentures governing those securities, we will be prohibited from making distributions on our equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, or redeeming such equity securities.

The terms of our currently outstanding junior subordinated notes prohibit us from declaring or paying any dividends or distributions on our equity securities, including the Preferred Stock, or redeeming, purchasing, acquiring, or making a liquidation payment on such equity securities, if we are aware of any event that would be an event of default under the indenture governing those junior subordinated notes or at any time when we have deferred a payment of interest on those junior subordinated notes.

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The Preferred Stock ranks equally with our Parity Stock as to the payment of dividends and distribution of our assets upon liquidation and may be junior in rights and preferences to our future preferred stock.

The Preferred Stock will rank equally with our Parity Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets on our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In addition, to the extent that we declare dividends on the Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, we will allocate dividend payments on a pro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of any Parity Stock then outstanding. If we are not paying full dividends on any outstanding Parity Stock, we will not be able to pay full dividends on the Preferred Stock.

Further, we are not restricted from issuing additional Preferred Stock. Holders of the Preferred Stock or depositary shares have no preemptive rights that entitle holders to purchase their pro rata share of any offering of shares of any class or series.

The Preferred Stock may be junior to preferred stock we issue in the future which by its terms is expressly senior to the Preferred Stock. The terms of any of our future preferred stock expressly senior to the Preferred Stock may restrict dividend payments on the Preferred Stock. Unless full dividends for all of our outstanding preferred stock senior to the Preferred Stock have been declared and paid or set aside for payment, no dividends will be declared or paid and no distribution will be made on any shares of the Preferred Stock, and no shares of the Preferred Stock may be repurchased, redeemed, or otherwise acquired by us, directly or indirectly, for consideration. This could result in dividends on the Preferred Stock not being paid when due to you.

The Preferred Stock is equity and is subordinate to our existing and future indebtedness.

Shares of the Preferred Stock are equity interests in us and do not constitute indebtedness. This means that shares of the Preferred Stock and depositary shares, which represent interests in shares of the Preferred Stock, will rank junior to all of our indebtedness and to other non-equity claims against us and our assets available to satisfy claims against us, including claims in our liquidation. Our existing and future indebtedness may restrict payment of dividends on the Preferred Stock. In addition, holders of the Preferred Stock or depositary shares representing interests in shares of the Preferred Stock may be fully subordinated to interests held by the U.S. government in the event that we enter into a receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding.

An active trading market for the Preferred Stock and the related depositary shares does not exist and may not develop.

The Preferred Stock and the related depositary shares are new issues of securities with no established trading market. We do not intend to list the Preferred Stock or the depositary shares on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the depositary shares will trade in the secondary market or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid. The number of potential buyers of the depositary shares in any secondary market may be limited. Although the underwriters may purchase and sell their depositary shares in the secondary market from time to time, the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue making a market for the depositary shares at any time without giving us notice. We cannot assure you that a secondary market for the depositary shares will develop, or that if one develops, it will be maintained. If an active, liquid market does not develop for the depositary shares, the market price and liquidity of the depositary shares may adversely be affected.

Investors should not expect us to redeem the Preferred Stock on the date it becomes redeemable or on any particular date after it becomes redeemable.

The Preferred Stock is a perpetual equity security. This means that it has no maturity or mandatory redemption date and is not redeemable at the option of investors, including the holders of the depositary shares offered by this prospectus supplement. The Preferred Stock may be redeemed by us at our option, either in whole

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or in part, on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the First Reset Date or, in whole at any time, under certain circumstances after the occurrence of a Capital Treatment Event. Any decision we may make at any time to redeem the Preferred Stock will depend upon, among other things, our evaluation of our capital position, the composition of our shareholders’ equity, and general market conditions at that time.

Our right to redeem the Preferred Stock is subject to limitations. Under the Federal Reserve’s current risk-based capital rules applicable to bank holding companies, any redemption of the Preferred Stock is subject to prior approval of the Federal Reserve. We cannot assure you that the Federal Reserve will approve any redemption of the Preferred Stock. There also can be no assurance that, if we propose to redeem the Preferred Stock without issuing securities that qualify as common equity Tier 1 capital or additional Tier 1 capital instruments, the Federal Reserve will authorize the redemption. In such case, under such current guidelines, we must demonstrate that we will continue to hold capital commensurate with our risk to the satisfaction of the Federal Reserve. We currently understand that the factors that the Federal Reserve will consider in evaluating a requested redemption, or a request that we be permitted to redeem the Preferred Stock without replacing it with common equity Tier 1 capital or additional Tier 1 capital instruments, may include an evaluation of the overall level and quality of our then applicable capital components, considered in light of our then applicable risk exposures, earnings and growth strategy, and other supervisory considerations, although the Federal Reserve may change these factors at any time. The factors may also include, among other things, the capital plans and stress tests submitted by the bank holding company, the bank holding company’s ability to meet and exceed minimum regulatory capital ratios under stressed scenarios, its expected sources and uses of capital over the planning horizon (generally a period of two years) under baseline and stressed scenarios, and any potential impact of changes to its business plan and activities on its capital adequacy and liquidity, although the Federal Reserve may change these factors at any time.

If the Preferred Stock is redeemed, the corresponding redemption of the depositary shares would be a taxable event to you. In addition, you might not be able to reinvest the money you receive upon redemption of the depositary shares in a similar security.

We may be able to redeem the Preferred Stock prior to the First Reset Date.

By its terms, the Preferred Stock may be redeemed by us prior to the First Reset Date upon the occurrence of certain events involving the capital treatment of the Preferred Stock. In particular, upon our good faith determination that an event has occurred that would constitute a Capital Treatment Event, we may, at our option, redeem in whole, but not in part, the shares of Preferred Stock, subject to any required prior approval of the Federal Reserve or other appropriate federal banking agency. See “Description of the Preferred Stock—Optional Redemption.”

Although the terms of the Preferred Stock have been established to satisfy the criteria for “additional Tier 1 capital” instruments consistent with Basel 3 as set forth in the joint final rulemaking by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, it is possible that the Preferred Stock may not satisfy the criteria set forth in future rulemaking or interpretations. As a result, a Capital Treatment Event could occur whereby we would have the right, subject to any required prior approval of the Federal Reserve or other appropriate federal banking agency, to redeem the Preferred Stock in accordance with its terms prior to the First Reset Date at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share), plus any accrued and unpaid cash dividends for the then-current Dividend Period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared cash dividends.

Holders of the Preferred Stock will have limited voting rights.

Holders of the Preferred Stock have no voting rights with respect to matters that generally require the approval of voting stockholders. Holders of the Preferred Stock will have voting rights only as specifically required by Delaware law and as described below under “Description of the Preferred Stock—Voting Rights.” Holders of depositary shares must act through the depository to exercise any voting rights of the Preferred Stock.

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Our trading activities may create conflicts of interest with you.

We or one or more of our broker-dealer affiliates, including BofA Securities, Inc., may engage in trading activities that are not for your account or on your behalf. These trading activities may present a conflict of interest between the interest of holders of the depositary shares and the interests we and our affiliates may have in our proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our other customers, and in accounts under our management. These trading activities could influence secondary trading (if any) in the depositary shares, or otherwise could be adverse to the interests of a beneficial owner of the depositary shares.

Holders of depositary shares may be unable to use the dividends received deduction and may not be eligible for the preferential tax rates applicable to “qualified dividend income.”

Distributions paid to corporate U.S. holders of the depositary shares out of cash dividends on the Preferred Stock may be eligible for the dividends received deduction, and distributions paid to non-corporate U.S. holders of the depositary shares out of those dividends may be subject to tax at the preferential tax rates applicable to “qualified dividend income,” if we have current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Although we presently have accumulated earnings and profits, we may not have sufficient current or accumulated earnings and profits during future fiscal years for the distributions on the Preferred Stock to qualify as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the distributions fail to qualify as dividends, U.S. holders would be unable to use the dividends received deduction and may not be eligible for the preferential tax rates applicable to “qualified dividend income.” If any distributions on the Preferred Stock with respect to any fiscal year are not eligible for the dividends received deduction or preferential tax rates applicable to “qualified dividend income” because of insufficient current or accumulated earnings and profits, the market value of the depositary shares may decline.

You are making an investment decision about the depositary shares as well as our Preferred Stock.

As described in this prospectus supplement, we are issuing fractional interests in shares of our Preferred Stock. Those fractional interests are in the form of depositary shares. The depository for the Preferred Stock will rely solely on the dividend payments on the Preferred Stock it receives from us to fund all dividend payments on the depositary shares. You should review carefully the information in this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus regarding our depositary shares and the Preferred Stock.

The Preferred Stock does not restrict our ability to incur indebtedness.

The Preferred Stock places no restrictions on our business or operations or on our ability to incur indebtedness or engage in any transactions, subject only to the limited voting rights referred to above under “—Holders of the Preferred Stock will have limited voting rights.” The Preferred Stock will be junior to our indebtedness with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the depositary shares representing interests in the Preferred Stock for general corporate purposes.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED STOCK

You should read the following description of the Preferred Stock along with the “Description of Preferred Stock” beginning on page 51 of the attached prospectus. This description of the Preferred Stock is qualified by the Certificate of Designations, which will be filed in a Current Report on Form 8-K, and where this description is inconsistent with the description of the Preferred Stock in the Certificate of Designations, the Certificate of Designations will control. Certain capitalized or other defined terms that are used in this prospectus supplement have the specific meanings set forth in the Glossary beginning on page S-42.

General

Shares of the Preferred Stock represent a single series of our authorized preferred stock. We are offering                depositary shares, representing                 shares of the Preferred Stock, by this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus. Holders of the Preferred Stock have no preemptive rights. Shares of the Preferred Stock, upon issuance against full payment of the purchase price for the depositary shares, will be fully paid and nonassessable. The depository will be the sole holder of shares of the Preferred Stock. The holders of depositary shares will be required to exercise their proportional rights in the Preferred Stock through the depository, as described in “Description of the Depositary Shares” on page S-28.

The Preferred Stock will not be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or series of our stock or other securities and will not be subject to any sinking fund or our other obligation to redeem or repurchase the Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock is not secured, is not guaranteed by us or any of our affiliates and is not subject to any other arrangement that legally or economically enhances the ranking of the Preferred Stock. Dividends on the Preferred Stock will accrue from, and including, the Original Issue Date at the then-applicable Dividend Rate for each Dividend Period on the liquidation preference amount of $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share). We will have no obligation to pay dividends accrued for a Dividend Period on or after the Dividend Payment Date for that period if our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof has not declared a dividend before the related Dividend Payment Date, whether or not dividends on the Preferred Stock or any other series of our preferred stock or our common stock are declared for any future Dividend Period.

Ranking

On the date of original issuance, the Preferred Stock will rank equally, as to payment of dividends and distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, with our Series B Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock, Series F Preferred Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series L Preferred Stock, Series U Preferred Stock, Series X Preferred Stock, Series Z Preferred Stock, Series AA Preferred Stock, Series DD Preferred Stock, Series FF Preferred Stock, Series GG Preferred Stock, Series HH Preferred Stock, Series JJ Preferred Stock, Series KK Preferred Stock, Series LL Preferred Stock, Series MM Preferred Stock, Series NN Preferred Stock, Series PP Preferred Stock, Series QQ Preferred Stock, Series 1 Preferred Stock, Series 2 Preferred Stock, Series 4 Preferred Stock, and Series 5 Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock, together with any other series of our preferred stock, will rank senior to our common stock, and any of our other stock that is expressly made junior to our preferred stock, as to payment of dividends and distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up. We may from time to time, without notice to or consent from the holders of the Preferred Stock, create and issue additional shares of preferred stock ranking equally with the Preferred Stock as to dividends and distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up. The Preferred Stock will rank, as to payment of dividends and distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to our existing and future indebtedness.

Dividends

Dividend Rate. Dividends on shares of the Preferred Stock will not be mandatory. Holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, only when, as, and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized

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committee thereof, out of funds legally available under Delaware law for payment of such dividends, non-cumulative cash dividends based on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share of the Preferred Stock, payable quarterly, for each Dividend Period that occurs (1) during the period from, and including, the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date, at a fixed rate of     % per annum (equivalent to $         per depositary share per annum), and (2) from, and including, the First Reset Date, during each Reset Period, at a rate per annum equal to the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or then-current Benchmark) as of the most recent Reset Dividend Determination Date, plus a spread of     % per annum.

Dividend Payment Dates. When, as, and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, we will pay cash dividends on the Preferred Stock quarterly, in arrears, on the Dividend Payment Dates. We will pay cash dividends to the holders of record of shares of the Preferred Stock as they appear on our stock register on each record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month in which such Dividend Payment Date falls or such other record date fixed by our board of directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) that is not more than 60 calendar days prior to such Dividend Payment Date. If any date on which dividends otherwise would be payable is not a Business Day, then the dividends will be payable on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, without any additional dividends accruing or other payment adjustment in respect of such delay, unless that day falls in the next calendar year, in which case the dividends will be payable on the immediately preceding Business Day, and, in either case, the relevant Dividend Period will not be adjusted.

Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on the Preferred Stock will not be cumulative. If our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof does not declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock for any Dividend Period prior to the related Dividend Payment Date, that dividend will not cumulate and will cease to accrue, and we will have no obligation to pay a dividend for that Dividend Period on the related Dividend Payment Date or at any future time, whether or not dividends on the Preferred Stock or any other series of our preferred stock or common stock are declared for any future Dividend Period.

Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period. We will calculate dividends on the Preferred Stock for each Dividend Period on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Dollar amounts resulting from that calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward. Dividends on shares of the Preferred Stock that are redeemed will cease to accrue after the applicable redemption date, as described below under “—Optional Redemption,” unless we default in the payment of the redemption price of the shares of the Preferred Stock called for redemption.

The Dividend Rate applicable for each Reset Period commencing on or after the First Reset Date will be determined by the calculation agent using the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or then-current Benchmark) as of the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date for such Reset Period. On each Reset Dividend Determination Date, the calculation agent will add the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or then-current Benchmark) as determined by the calculation agent and the spread of     % per annum to determine the Dividend Rate applicable for such Reset Period. Once the Dividend Rate applicable for the applicable Reset Period is determined, the calculation agent will deliver that information to us and the transfer agent.

For any Reset Period commencing on or after the First Reset Date, the “Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate” means a rate determined in the following manner:

(i) the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. treasury nominal/non-inflation-indexed securities adjusted to constant maturities, for five-year maturities, for the five Business Days immediately preceding the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date and appearing (or, if fewer than five Business Days so appear on the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date, for such number of Business Days appearing) in the most recently published H.15 Daily Update as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date; or

(ii) if there are no such published yields on actively traded U.S. treasury nominal/non-inflation-indexed securities adjusted to constant maturities, for five-year maturities, then the “Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate”

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will be determined by interpolation between the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. treasury nominal/non-inflation-indexed securities adjusted to constant maturities for two series of actively traded U.S. treasury nominal/non-inflation-indexed securities, (A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Dividend Determination Date and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Dividend Determination Date, in each case for the five Business Days immediately preceding the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date and appearing (or, if fewer than five Business Days so appear on the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date, for such number of Business Days appearing) in the most recently published H.15 Daily Update as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date.

In each case, the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.0005% rounded up to 0.001%.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that the then-current Benchmark (which, as of the Original Issue Date for the Preferred Stock, is the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate) cannot be determined in the manner applicable for such Benchmark (which, as of the Original Issue Date of the Preferred Stock, is pursuant to the methods described in clauses (i) or (ii) above) on the applicable Reset Dividend Determination Date (such determination, a “Rate Substitution Event”), we or our designee, after consulting with us, may determine whether there is an industry-accepted successor rate to the then-current Benchmark (such industry-accepted successor rate, the “Replacement Rate”). If we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that there is such a Replacement Rate, then such Replacement Rate will replace the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or the then-current Benchmark) for all purposes relating to the Preferred Stock (including for purposes of the definition of “Dividend Rate”) in respect of such determination on such Reset Dividend Determination Date and all determinations on all subsequent Reset Dividend Determination Dates. In addition, if a Replacement Rate is utilized as described in the preceding sentence, we or our designee, after consulting with us, may adopt or make changes to (1) any Dividend Payment Date, Dividend Period, Reset Date, Reset Period, Reset Dividend Determination Date or business day convention, (2) the manner, timing and frequency of determining rates and amounts of dividends that are payable on the Preferred Stock and the conventions relating to such determinations, (3) the timing and frequency of making dividend payments, (4) rounding conventions, (5) Benchmark maturities and (6) any other terms or provisions of the Preferred Stock (including any spread or adjustment factor needed to make such Replacement Rate comparable to the then-current Benchmark (which, as of the Original Issue Date of the Preferred Stock, is the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate)), in each case that we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines, from time to time, to be appropriate to reflect the determination and implementation of such Replacement Rate in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if we, the calculation agent or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that implementation of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that no market practice for use of such Replacement Rate exists, in such other manner as we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines is appropriate) (such changes, the “Adjustments”). If we or our designee, after consulting with us, determines that there is no such Replacement Rate, then the Dividend Rate applicable for the applicable Reset Period will be: (a) with respect to the first Reset Period,     % or (b) with respect to any Reset Period other than the first Reset Period the Dividend Rate that was applicable for the preceding Reset Period.

Calculation Agent; Decisions and Determinations; Records. With respect to each Reset Period from, and including, the First Reset Date, calculations relating to the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate (or then-current Benchmark) and the Dividend Rate applicable for such Reset Period will be made by the calculation agent. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by us, our designee or, in the case of a calculation or determination, the calculation agent, pursuant to the provisions of the Preferred Stock set forth in this prospectus supplement (including the provisions relating to a Rate Substitution Event set forth under “—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period”), and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection:

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If we do not agree with any determination made by the calculation agent regarding administrative feasibility, as described in this prospectus supplement, in connection with the provisions relating to a Rate Substitution Event and related Adjustments, as set forth under “—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period,” then we may, in our sole discretion, remove the calculation agent and appoint a successor calculation agent (which may be our affiliate).

Any determination, decision or election pursuant to the provisions relating to a Rate Substitution Event set forth under “—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period” not made by our designee will be made by us on the basis described above. We may designate an entity (which entity may be a calculation agent and/or our affiliate) to make any determination, decision or election that we have the right to make in connection with such provisions.

In connection with any Rate Substitution Event, so long as any share of the Preferred Stock remains outstanding, we will maintain a record of any Replacement Rate and any Adjustments relating thereto, in each case as may be determined in accordance with the fifth paragraph set forth under “—Calculation of Dividends and Determination of the Dividend Rate Applicable For Each Reset Period,” and will provide a copy of such information to a holder of the Preferred Stock or the related depositary shares, upon written request to us.

Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Preferred Stock remains outstanding (1) no dividend will be declared and paid or set aside for payment and no distribution will be declared and made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock (other than a dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Stock), (2) no shares of Junior Stock will be repurchased, redeemed, or otherwise acquired for consideration by us, directly or indirectly (other than as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, or the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, and other than through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock), nor will any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such securities by us, and (3) no shares of Parity Stock will be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by us otherwise than pursuant to pro rata offers to purchase all, or a pro rata portion, of the Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Stock, during a Dividend Period, unless, in each case, the full dividends for the immediately preceding Dividend Period on all outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment of those dividends has been set aside. The foregoing limitations do not apply to purchases or acquisitions of our Junior Stock pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any of our employment, severance, or consulting agreements) of ours or of any of our subsidiaries.

Except as provided below, for so long as any share of Preferred Stock remains outstanding, we will not declare and pay, or set aside for payment dividends on any Parity Stock unless we have paid in full, or set aside payment in full, in respect of all dividends for the immediately preceding Dividend Period for outstanding shares

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of Preferred Stock. To the extent that we declare dividends on the Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, we will allocate the dividend payments on a pro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock then outstanding. For purposes of calculating the pro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, we will allocate dividend payments based on the ratio between the then current dividend payments due on the shares of Preferred Stock and the aggregate of the current and accrued dividends due on any outstanding Parity Stock. No interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment on Preferred Stock that may be in arrears.

Subject to the conditions described above, and not otherwise, dividends (payable in cash, stock, or otherwise), as may be determined by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, may be declared and paid on our common stock and any Junior Stock from time to time out of any funds legally available for such payment, and the holders of the Preferred Stock will not be entitled to participate in those dividends.

Liquidation Rights

Upon our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, the holders of the Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, out of our assets available for distribution to stockholders, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of our common stock or any of our other shares of stock ranking junior to the Preferred Stock as to distributions upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, a liquidating distribution in the amount of $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share), plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. Distributions will be made only to the extent of our assets remaining available after payment of indebtedness and satisfaction of other liabilities to creditors and subject to the rights of holders of any securities ranking senior to the Preferred Stock and pro rata as to the Preferred Stock and any other shares of our stock ranking equally as to such distribution. After payment of this liquidating distribution, the holders of the Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of our assets other than what is expressly provided for herein.

Our consolidation or merger with one or more other entities will not be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up.

Because we are a holding company, our rights and the rights of our creditors and our stockholders, including the holders of the Preferred Stock, to participate in the distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon that subsidiary’s liquidation or recapitalization will be subject to the prior claims of that subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that we are a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary. In addition, holders of the Preferred Stock may be fully subordinated to interests held by the U.S. Government in the event of a receivership, insolvency, liquidation or similar proceeding, including a proceeding under the “orderly liquidation authority” provisions of the Financial Reform Act.

If our assets are not sufficient to pay in full the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid to all holders of the Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Parity Stock shall be pro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preferences, plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, of the Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock.

If the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid has been paid in full to all holders of the Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the holders of Junior Stock shall be entitled to receive all of our remaining assets according to their respective rights and preferences.

Optional Redemption

The Preferred Stock is not subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund, or other similar provisions. However, we may redeem, out of funds legally available therefor, shares of the Preferred Stock on any Dividend

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Payment Date on or after the First Reset Date, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share) (except as otherwise provided below), plus any accrued and unpaid cash dividends for the then-current Dividend Period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. Dividends will cease to accrue on shares redeemed after the redemption date. Under the Federal Reserve’s risk-based capital rules applicable to bank holding companies, any redemption of the Preferred Stock is subject to prior approval of the Federal Reserve.

At any time within 90 days after a Capital Treatment Event, and at the option of our board of directors or any duly authorized committee of our board of directors, we may provide notice to holders of the Preferred Stock that we will redeem the Preferred Stock in accordance with the procedures described below, and subsequently redeem, out of funds legally available therefor, the Preferred Stock in whole, but not in part, at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share (equivalent to $1,000 per depositary share) (except as otherwise provided below), plus any accrued and unpaid dividends on the shares of the Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. Subject to irrevocably setting aside or depositing funds necessary for redemption, dividends will cease to accrue on the redemption date.

Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the record date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such record date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided herein.

Redemption of the Preferred Stock is subject to our receipt of any required prior approvals from the Federal Reserve or other appropriate federal banking agency.

If we redeem shares of the Preferred Stock, we will provide notice by first class, postage prepaid, mail to the holders of record of the shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed. That notice will be mailed not less than 5 Business Days and not more than 60 calendar days prior to the date fixed for the redemption. Each notice of redemption will include a statement setting forth:

(i) the redemption date;

(ii) the number of shares of the Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by the holder are to be redeemed, the number of shares of the Preferred Stock to be redeemed from the holder;

(iii) the redemption price;

(iv) the place or places where the certificates for those shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and

(v) that cash dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, we may give such notice in any manner permitted or required by DTC. Neither the holders of the Preferred Stock nor the holders of the related depositary shares have the right to require redemption of the Preferred Stock.

In the case of any redemption of only part of the shares of the Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of the Preferred Stock to be redeemed will be selected either pro rata from the holders of record of the Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of Preferred Stock held by such holders or by lot.

Voting Rights

The holders of the Preferred Stock do not have voting rights other than those described below, except as specifically required by Delaware law.

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Whenever a Nonpayment occurs, the holders of outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock voting as a class with holders of shares of any Voting Parity Stock will be entitled to vote for the election of two Preferred Stock Directors on the terms set forth below (and to fill any vacancies in the terms of such directorships). Holders of all series of our preferred stock that are granted these voting rights and that rank equally with the Preferred Stock will vote as a single class. In the event that the holders of the shares of the Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as described in this paragraph, our board of directors will be increased by two directors, and the holders of the Preferred Stock will have the right, as members of that class, as outlined above, to elect two directors at the next annual meeting of our stockholders, provided that the election of any Preferred Stock Directors shall not cause us to violate the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (or any other exchange on which our securities may be listed) that listed companies must have a majority of independent directors, and provided further that at no time shall our board of directors include more than two Preferred Stock Directors.

When we have paid full dividends for the equivalent of at least four quarterly Dividend Periods following a Nonpayment on the Preferred Stock and any other series of our preferred stock ranking equally with the Preferred Stock, the voting rights described above will terminate, except as expressly provided by law. The voting rights described above are subject to re-vesting upon each and every subsequent Nonpayment.

Upon termination of the right of the holders of the Preferred Stock to vote for Preferred Stock Directors as described above, the term of office of all Preferred Stock Directors then in office elected by only those holders will terminate immediately. Whenever the term of office of the Preferred Stock Directors ends and the related voting rights have expired, the number of directors automatically will be decreased to the number of directors as otherwise would prevail.

So long as any shares of Preferred Stock remain outstanding, we will not, without the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least 66²⁄₃% in voting power of the Preferred Stock and any Voting Parity Stock, voting together as a class, authorize, create or issue any capital stock ranking senior to the Preferred Stock as to dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, or reclassify any authorized capital stock into any such shares of such capital stock or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares of capital stock. So long as any shares of the Preferred Stock remain outstanding, we will not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66²⁄₃% in voting power of the Preferred Stock, amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Certificate of Designations or our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, including by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to adversely affect the powers, preferences or special rights of the Preferred Stock.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the following will be deemed to adversely affect the powers, preferences or special rights of the Preferred Stock:

Preemptive and Conversion Rights

The holders of the Preferred Stock do not have any preemptive or conversion rights.

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Outstanding Preferred Stock

Under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we have authority to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. We may issue preferred stock in one or more series, each with the preferences, designations, limitations, conversion rights, and other rights as we may determine.

In addition to the Preferred Stock, we have authorized the following series of our preferred stock:

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As of the date of this prospectus supplement, the aggregate liquidation preference of all of our outstanding preferred stock, excluding the Preferred Stock, is approximately $25 billion.

Authorized Classes of Preferred Stock

For a summary of the general terms and provisions of our Series B Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock, Series F Preferred Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series L Preferred Stock, Series U Preferred Stock, Series X Preferred Stock, Series Z Preferred Stock, Series AA Preferred Stock, Series DD Preferred Stock, Series FF Preferred Stock, Series GG Preferred Stock, Series HH Preferred Stock, Series JJ Preferred Stock, Series KK Preferred Stock, Series MM Preferred Stock, Series NN Preferred Stock, Series PP Preferred Stock, Series 1 Preferred Stock, Series 2 Preferred Stock, Series 4 Preferred Stock, and Series 5 Preferred Stock, see “Description of Preferred Stock—Existing Preferred Stock” in the attached prospectus beginning on page 53. Below is a summary of the general terms and conditions of our Series QQ Preferred Stock. You also should refer to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the respective certificate of designations for each series.

Series QQ Preferred Stock

Preferential Rights. The Series QQ Preferred Stock ranks senior to our common stock and equally with the Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock, Series F Preferred Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series L Preferred Stock, Series U Preferred Stock, Series X Preferred Stock, Series Z Preferred Stock, Series AA Preferred Stock, Series DD Preferred Stock, Series FF Preferred Stock, Series GG Preferred Stock, Series HH, Series JJ Preferred Stock, Series KK Preferred Stock, Series LL Preferred Stock, Series MM Preferred Stock, Series NN Preferred Stock, Series PP Preferred Stock, Series 1 Preferred Stock, Series 2 Preferred Stock, Series 4 Preferred Stock, and Series 5 Preferred Stock as to dividends and distributions on our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up. Series QQ Preferred Stock is not convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of our common stock or any other class of our capital stock. Holders of the Series QQ Preferred Stock do not have any preemptive rights. We may issue stock with preferences equal to the Series QQ Preferred Stock without the consent of the holders of the Series QQ Preferred Stock.

Dividends. Holders of the Series QQ Preferred Stock are entitled to receive cash dividends, when, as, and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, at an annual dividend rate per share of 4.250% on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share. Dividends on the Series QQ Preferred Stock are non-cumulative and are payable quarterly in arrears. As long as shares of Series QQ Preferred Stock remain outstanding, we cannot declare or pay cash dividends on any shares of our common stock or other capital stock ranking junior to the Series QQ Preferred Stock unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series QQ Preferred Stock for the immediately preceding dividend period have been paid in full or declared and a sum

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sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. We cannot declare or pay cash dividends on capital stock ranking equally with the Series QQ Preferred Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series QQ Preferred Stock for the immediately preceding dividend period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. If we declare dividends on the Series QQ Preferred Stock and on any capital stock ranking equally with the Series QQ Preferred Stock but cannot make full payment of those declared dividends, we will allocate the dividend payments on a pro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Series QQ Preferred Stock and the holders of any capital stock ranking equally with the Series QQ Preferred Stock.

Voting Rights. Holders of Series QQ Preferred Stock do not have voting rights, except as described herein and as specifically required by Delaware law. If any dividend payable on the Series QQ Preferred Stock is in arrears for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not for consecutive dividend periods, the holders of the Series QQ Preferred Stock will be entitled to vote as a class, together with the holders of all series of our preferred stock ranking equally with the Series QQ Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and upon which voting rights equivalent to those granted to the holders of Series QQ Preferred Stock have been conferred and are exercisable, for the election of two Preferred Stock Directors. When we have paid full dividends on the Series QQ Preferred Stock for at least four quarterly dividend periods following a dividend arrearage described above, these voting rights will terminate. As long as the Series QQ Preferred Stock remains outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the Series QQ Preferred Stock and any voting parity stock shall be necessary to authorize, create or issue any capital stock ranking senior to the Series QQ Preferred Stock as to dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, or to reclassify any authorized capital stock into any such shares of such capital stock or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares of capital stock. In addition, so long as any shares of the Series QQ Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the Series QQ Preferred Stock shall be necessary to amend, alter or repeal any provision of the certificate of designations for the Series QQ Preferred Stock or our Restated Certificate of Incorporation so as to adversely affect the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series QQ Preferred Stock.

Distributions. In the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, holders of Series QQ Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive out of assets legally available for distribution to stockholders, before any distribution or payment out of our assets may be made to or set aside for the holders of our capital stock ranking junior to the Series QQ Preferred Stock as to distributions, a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation. Shares of Series QQ Preferred Stock will not be subject to a sinking fund.

Redemption. We may redeem the Series QQ Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at our option, at any time on or after November 17, 2026, at the redemption price equal to $25,000 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends for the then-current dividend period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. In addition, at any time within 90 days after a “capital treatment event,” as described in the certificate of designations for the Series QQ Preferred Stock, we may redeem the Series QQ Preferred Stock, in whole but not in part, at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends for the then-current dividend period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends.

Additional Classes or Series of Stock

We will have the right to create and issue additional classes or series of stock ranking equally with or junior to the Preferred Stock as to dividends and distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up without the consent of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or the holders of the related depositary shares.

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Depository, Transfer Agent, and Registrar

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. will be the depository, transfer agent, and registrar for the Preferred Stock.

Calculation Agent

For purposes of calculating the Dividend Rate applicable for each Reset Period, we will enter into an agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as calculation agent. We may remove the calculation agent at any time, and we may appoint a replacement calculation agent, which may be an affiliate of ours, or we may act as calculation agent, without your consent and without notifying you of the change. All determinations of the calculation agent will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPOSITARY SHARES

The following description summarizes specific terms and provisions of the depositary shares relating to our Preferred Stock. You should read this description of the material terms of the depositary shares along with the terms that apply generally to all our preferred stock issued in the form of depositary shares under “Description of Depositary Shares” in the attached prospectus.

General

We are issuing proportional fractional interests in the Preferred Stock in the form of depositary shares. Each depositary share represents a 1/25^th interest in a share of the Preferred Stock, and will be evidenced by depositary receipts, as described under “Registration and Settlement—Book-Entry System” on page S-30. We will deposit the underlying shares of the Preferred Stock with a depository pursuant to a deposit agreement among us, Computershare Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Computershare Trust Company, N.A., collectively acting as depository, and the holders from time to time of the depositary receipts. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary shares will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the Preferred Stock in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of Preferred Stock those depositary shares represent.

In this prospectus supplement, references to “holders” of depositary shares mean those who have depositary shares registered in their own names on the books maintained by the depository and not indirect holders who own beneficial interests in depositary shares registered in the street name of, or issued in book-entry form through, DTC. You should review the special considerations that apply to indirect holders described in “Registration and Settlement—Book-Entry System” on page S-30.

Dividends and Other Distributions

Each dividend on a depositary share will be in an amount equal to 1/25^th of the dividend declared on the related share of the Preferred Stock.

The depository will distribute all dividends and other cash distributions received on the Preferred Stock to the holders of record of the depositary receipts in proportion to the number of depositary shares held by each holder. In the event of a distribution other than in cash, the depository will distribute property received by it to the holders of record of the depositary receipts in proportion to the number of depositary shares held by each holder, unless the depository determines that this distribution is not feasible, in which case the depository may, with our approval, adopt a method of distribution that it deems practicable, including the sale of the property and distribution of the net proceeds of that sale to the holders of the depositary receipts.

If the calculation of a dividend or other cash distribution results in an amount that is a fraction of a cent and that fraction is equal to or greater than $0.005, the depository will round that amount up to the next highest whole cent and will request that we pay the resulting additional amount to the depository for the relevant dividend or other cash distribution. If the fractional amount is less than $0.005, the depository will disregard that fractional amount.

Record dates for the payment of dividends and other matters relating to the depositary shares will be the same as the corresponding record dates for the Preferred Stock.

The amount paid as dividends or otherwise distributable by the depository with respect to the depositary shares or the underlying Preferred Stock will be reduced by any amounts required to be withheld by us or the depository on account of taxes or other governmental charges. The depository may refuse to make any payment or distribution, or any transfer, exchange, or withdrawal of any depositary shares or the shares of the Preferred Stock until such taxes or other governmental charges are paid.

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Redemption of Depositary Shares

If we redeem the Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, as described above under “Description of the Preferred Stock—Optional Redemption,” depositary shares also will be redeemed with the proceeds received by the depository from the redemption of the Preferred Stock held by the depository. The redemption price per depositary share will be 1/25^th of the redemption price per share payable with respect to the Preferred Stock, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends on the shares of the Preferred Stock called for redemption for the then-current Dividend Period to, but excluding, the redemption date, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends.

If we redeem shares of the Preferred Stock held by the depository, the depository will redeem, as of the same redemption date, the number of depositary shares representing those shares of the Preferred Stock so redeemed. If we redeem less than all of the outstanding depositary shares, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected either pro rata or by lot. In any case, the depository will redeem depositary shares only in increments of 25 depositary shares and multiples thereof. The depository will provide notice of redemption to record holders of the depositary receipts not less than 5 Business Days and not more than 60 calendar days prior to the date fixed for redemption of the Preferred Stock and the related depositary shares.

Voting the Preferred Stock

Because each depositary share represents a 1/25^th interest in a share of the Preferred Stock, holders of depositary receipts will be entitled to 1/25^th of a vote per depositary share under those limited circumstances in which holders of the Preferred Stock are entitled to a vote, as described above in “Description of the Preferred Stock—Voting Rights.”

When the depository receives notice of any meeting at which the holders of the Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, the depository will mail the information contained in the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to the Preferred Stock. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the Preferred Stock, may instruct the depository to vote the amount of the Preferred Stock represented by the holder’s depositary shares. To the extent possible, the depository will vote the amount of the Preferred Stock represented by depositary shares in accordance with the instructions it receives. We will agree to take all reasonable actions that the depository determines are necessary to enable the depository to vote as instructed. The depository will not vote any shares of the Preferred Stock except to the extent it receives specific instructions from the holders of the depositary shares representing that number of shares of Preferred Stock.

Form and Notices

The Preferred Stock will be issued in registered form to the depository, and the depositary shares will be issued in book-entry only form through DTC, as described below in “Registration and Settlement—Book-Entry System” and in “Registration and Settlement—Book-Entry Only Issuance” on page 92 of the attached prospectus. The depository will forward to the holders of depositary shares all reports, notices, and communications from us that are delivered to the depository and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the Preferred Stock.

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REGISTRATION AND SETTLEMENT

Book-Entry System

The depositary shares will be issued in book-entry only form through the facilities of DTC. This means that we will not issue actual depositary receipts to each holder of depositary shares, except in limited circumstances. Instead, the depositary shares will be in the form of a single global depositary receipt deposited with and held in the name of DTC, or its nominee. In order to own a beneficial interest in a depositary receipt, you must be an organization that participates in DTC or have an account with an organization that participates in DTC, including Euroclear and Clearstream. For more information about Euroclear and Clearstream, see “Registration and Settlement—Depositories for Global Securities” in the attached prospectus beginning on page 94.

Except as described in the attached prospectus, owners of beneficial interests in the global depositary receipt will not be entitled to have depositary shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the depositary shares in definitive form, and will not be considered the owners or holders of depositary shares under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the deposit agreement, including for purposes of receiving any reports or notices delivered by us. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in the depositary receipts must rely on the procedures of DTC and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that person owns its beneficial interest, in order to exercise any rights of a holder of depositary shares.

If we discontinue the book-entry only form system of registration, we will replace the global depositary receipt with depositary receipts in certificated form registered in the names of the beneficial owners. Once depositary receipts in certificated form are issued, the underlying shares of the Preferred Stock may be withdrawn from the depository arrangement upon surrender of depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the depository and upon payment of the taxes, charges, and fees provided for in the deposit agreements. Subject to the deposit agreement, the holders of depositary receipts will receive the appropriate number of shares of Preferred Stock and any money or property represented by the depositary shares.

Only whole shares of the Preferred Stock may be withdrawn. If a holder holds an amount other than a whole multiple of 25 depositary shares, the depository will deliver, along with the withdrawn shares of the Preferred Stock, a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of withdrawn shares of the Preferred Stock will not be entitled to redeposit those shares or to receive depositary shares.

Same Day Settlement

As long as the depositary shares are represented by a global depositary receipt registered in the name of DTC, or its nominee, the depositary shares will trade in the DTC Same-Day Funds Settlement System. DTC requires secondary market trading activity in the depositary shares to settle in immediately available funds. This requirement may affect trading activity in the depositary shares.

Payment of Dividends

We will pay dividends, if any, on the Preferred Stock represented by depositary shares in book-entry form to the depository. In turn, the depository will deliver the dividends to DTC in accordance with the arrangements then in place between the depository and DTC. Generally, DTC will be responsible for crediting the dividend payments it receives from the depository to the accounts of DTC participants, and each participant will be responsible for disbursing the dividend payment for which it is credited to the holders that it represents. As long as the depositary shares are represented by a global depositary receipt, we will make all dividend payments in immediately available funds.

In the event depositary receipts are issued in certificated form, dividends generally will be paid by check mailed to the holders of the depositary receipts on the applicable record date at the address appearing on the security register.

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Notices

Any notices required to be delivered to you will be given by the depository to DTC for communication to its participants.

If the depositary receipts are issued in certificated form, notices to you also will be given by mail to the addresses of the holders as they appear on the security register.

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U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

For a brief description of the U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in the Preferred Stock and the related depositary shares, see “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, and Depositary Shares” beginning on page 102 and page 118, respectively, of the attached prospectus.

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ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

For a brief description of the considerations for employee benefit and other plans investing in the Preferred Stock through the depositary shares offered by this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus, including a discussion of considerations if the securities are deemed to be “plan assets” for purposes of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code, see “ERISA Considerations” beginning on page 130 of the attached prospectus. As discussed in more detail in that section, purchasers or holders of the depositary shares or any interest in those securities will be deemed to have made certain representations regarding their status under ERISA and should carefully consider these representations before electing to acquire the depositary shares.

Fiduciaries of, or other persons acting on behalf of an employee benefit or other plan, considering purchasing the depositary shares should consult with their counsel regarding these matters before making any investment decision.

We expect that an investment in the Preferred Stock through the depositary shares will constitute an “equity interest” for purposes of the regulation adopted by the U.S. Department of Labor to address whether the underlying assets of an entity are considered “plan assets,” but we do not anticipate that these securities will satisfy the “publicly-offered securities” exception described in the Plan Assets Regulation. However, the acquisition of an equity interest in an “operating company” by a plan (as such term is defined in the Plan Assets Regulation) is the subject of a separate exception described in the Plan Assets Regulation. For this purpose, an “operating company” is considered to be an entity that is primarily engaged, either directly or indirectly, in the production or sale of a product or service other than the investment of capital. We expect that we will be considered to be an operating company and, as a result, we expect that the acquisition of Preferred Stock through depositary shares by a plan will satisfy the exception referenced above such that the assets of the plan will include only its interest in the Preferred Stock and depositary shares but not an undivided interest in each of our underlying assets, although no assurance can be given in this regard. As discussed in the attached prospectus, other considerations implicated by ERISA (such as its “prohibited transaction” requirements) may impact the suitability of an investment in the Preferred Stock through the depositary shares by plans, and the fiduciaries of such plans should consult with their counsel regarding these matters before making any investment decision.

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UNDERWRITING (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

We have entered into an underwriting agreement dated January     , 2022 with the underwriters named below. In the underwriting agreement, we agreed to sell to each of the underwriters, and each of the underwriters agreed to purchase from us, the number of depositary shares, each representing a 1/25^th interest in a share of the Preferred Stock, shown opposite its name below, at the applicable public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus supplement.

The obligations of the underwriters under the underwriting agreement, including their agreement to purchase depositary shares, are several and not joint. The underwriters will offer the depositary shares subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued and accepted by them, subject to the satisfaction of conditions described in the underwriting agreement. The underwriters have agreed to purchase all of the depositary shares if any of them are purchased. In the event of a default by any underwriter, the underwriting agreement provides that, in certain circumstances, non-defaulting underwriters may increase their purchase commitments, or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

The underwriters initially propose to offer the depositary shares, in part, directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. The underwriters may sell the depositary shares to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $        per depositary share. Any underwriter may allow, and dealers may reallow, a concession not in excess of $         per depositary share to certain other dealers. After the initial offering of the depositary shares, the offering price and these concessions may change.

Our offering expenses, not including underwriting commissions, are estimated to be $        .

BofA Securities, Inc. is our wholly-owned subsidiary, and we will receive the net proceeds of this offering.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the depositary shares. We do not currently intend to list the Preferred Stock or the depositary shares on any securities exchange. The underwriters have advised us that they presently intend to make a market in the depositary shares. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so and may discontinue making a market in the depositary shares at any time without notice.

In connection with the offering of the depositary shares, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, and syndicate covering transactions in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. The underwriters may enter bids for, and purchase, depositary shares in the open market in order to stabilize the price of the depositary shares. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the depositary shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. In addition, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the depositary shares in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed depositary shares in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions, or otherwise. These activities may cause the price of the depositary shares to be higher than it would otherwise be. Those activities, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

BofA Securities, Inc., one of our affiliates, is a broker-dealer and a member of FINRA. As such, BofA Securities, Inc., the sole book-runner for this offering, has a “conflict of interest” in this offering within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121. Consequently, the offering is being conducted in compliance with the provisions

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of FINRA Rule 5121. BofA Securities, Inc. is not permitted to sell depositary shares in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

We expect that delivery of the depositary shares will be made to investors on or about January     , 2022, which is the                Business Day following the date of this prospectus supplement (such settlement being referred to as “T+    ”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two Business Days, unless the parties to a trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade depositary shares on any date prior to two Business Days before delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the depositary shares initially settle in T+    , to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of the trade to prevent a failed settlement and should consult their own advisors in connection with that election.

Under the terms of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and certain other persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute in respect of those liabilities.

BofA Securities, Inc. is a broker-dealer and one of our subsidiaries and our affiliate. Following the initial distribution of depositary shares, our affiliates, including BofA Securities, Inc., may buy and sell the depositary shares in secondary market transactions as part of their business as broker-dealers. Any sale will be at negotiated prices relating to prevailing prices at the time of sale. This prospectus supplement and attached prospectus may be used by one or more of our affiliates in connection with offers and sales related to secondary market transactions in the depositary shares to the extent permitted by applicable law. Our affiliates may act as principal or agent in such transactions.

Some of the underwriters or their affiliates have provided or may in the future provide investment or commercial banking services to us from time to time in the ordinary course of business.

Selling Restrictions

The underwriters have represented and agreed that they have not and will not offer, sell, or deliver the depositary shares, directly or indirectly, or distribute this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus or any other offering material relating to the depositary shares, in any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will result in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and that will not impose any obligations on us except as set forth in the underwriting agreement.

Australia

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus have not been, and no prospectus or other disclosure document (as defined in the Corporations Act of 2001 (the “Australian Corporations Act”)) in relation to the depositary shares has been, or will be, lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”) or the Australian Securities Exchange operated by ASX Limited (“ASX”).

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that, in connection with the distribution of the depositary shares, it:

(i) the aggregate consideration payable by each offeree for the depositary shares is at least A$500,000 (or its equivalent in an alternate currency, in either case, disregarding moneys lent by us or

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any other person offering the depositary shares or its associates or the offer or invitation does not otherwise require disclosure to investors under Parts 6D.2 or 7.9 of the Australian Corporations Act;

(ii) the offer or invitation does not constitute an offer to a “retail client” as defined for the purposes of section 761G of the Australian Corporations Act;

(iii) such action complies with any other applicable laws, regulations or directives in Australia; and

(iv) such action does not require any document to be lodged with the ASIC or the ASX.

We are not authorized under the Banking Act 1959 of the Commonwealth of Australia (the “Australian Banking Act”) to carry on banking business and are not subject to prudential supervision by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. The depositary shares are not Deposit Liabilities under the Australian Banking Act. We are the holding corporation of Bank of America, N.A.

Austria

Any person who is in, or comes into, possession of this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus understands and acknowledges that no action has been or will be taken which would allow a public offering (öffentliches Angebot) of the depositary shares in Austria unless it is in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Austrian Capital Market Act (Kapitalmarktgesetz) and the Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market (“EU Prospectus Regulation”). The depositary shares are being sold in Austria exclusively to qualified investors within the meaning of section 1 paragraph 1 subparagraph 6 Austrian Capital Market Act or Article 2 lit. e) of the EU Prospectus Regulation (“qualified investors”) in reliance on the prospectus exemption set forth under the Austrian Capital Market Act or the EU Prospectus Regulation, and in accordance with Austrian securities, tax, and other applicable laws and regulations. In particular, no prospectus within the meaning of the Austrian Capital Market Act or the EU Prospectus Regulation has been, or will be published for the sale of the depositary shares in Austria. Accordingly, the depositary shares may not be offered, sold, or delivered to any person who is not a qualified investor and this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus and any other offering material is directed only at qualified investors and may not be distributed or made available to any other person in Austria. Any person who is not a qualified investor must not act or rely on this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus or any of its contents. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement and attached prospectus relates is available only to qualified investors and will be engaged in only with qualified investors.

Canada

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that in connection with the distribution of the depositary shares it will sell the depositary shares from outside Canada solely to purchasers purchasing as principal that are both “accredited investors” as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario) and “permitted clients” as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.

The People’s Republic of China

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus or any other offering materials relating to the depositary shares have not been filed with or approved by the People’s Republic of China (for such purposes, not including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan) (“PRC”) authorities and do not constitute an offer of securities (whether Initial Public Offering or private placement) within the meaning of the Securities Law or other pertinent laws and regulations of the PRC. Neither this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus nor any other offering materials in connection with the depositary shares may be forwarded or delivered to the general public or unspecified recipients in the PRC. There is no open market in the PRC for the depositary shares, and the depositary shares may not be sold, transferred, offered for sale, pledged or encumbered in the PRC unless permitted by the PRC laws and regulations.

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Prohibition of Sales to EEA Retail Investors

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available any depositary shares which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus in relation thereto to any retail investor in the EEA. For the purposes of this provision:

France

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus have not been approved by the Autorité des marchés financiers (“AMF”).

Each underwriter has, and we have, represented and agreed that it has offered or sold and will offer or sell, directly or indirectly, depositary shares to the public in France, and it has distributed or caused to be distributed and will distribute or cause to be distributed to the public in France, this prospectus supplement, the attached prospectus or any other offering material relating to the depositary shares, and that such offers, sales and distributions have been and will be made in France, only to (i) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) within the meaning of Article 2(e) of Regulation 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market (the “Prospectus Regulation”), (ii) a restricted group of investors (cercle restreint d’investisseurs) acting for their own account and/or (iii) other investors in circumstances which do not require the publication by the offeror of a prospectus or of a summary information document (document d’information synthétique) pursuant to the French Code monétaire et financier and the Règlement général of the AMF all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-2 and L.411-2-1 and Articles D.411-2 to D.411-4 of the French Code monétaire et financier, the Règlement général of the AMF and other applicable regulations such as the EU Prospectus Regulation. The direct or indirect resale of depositary shares to the public in France may be made only as provided by and in accordance with Articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.411-2-1 and L.621-8 to L.621-8-2 of the French Code monétaire et financier and Articles 5 and seq. of the EU Prospectus Regulation.

Hong Kong

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not issued or had in its possession for the purposes of issue, and will not issue or have in its possession for the purposes of issue, whether of Hong Kong or elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the depositary shares, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to depositary shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Israel

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus are intended solely for investors listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended. A prospectus has not been prepared or filed, and

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will not be prepared or filed, in Israel relating to the depositary shares offered hereunder. The depositary shares cannot be resold in Israel other than to investors listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended. Subject to any applicable law, the depositary shares offered hereunder may not be offered or sold to more than thirty-five offerees, in the aggregate, who are resident in the State of Israel, and who are not listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended. No action will be taken in Israel that would permit an offering of the depositary shares or the distribution of any offering document or any other material to the public in Israel. In particular, this prospectus supplement, the attached prospectus or any offering document or other material has not been reviewed or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. Any material provided to an offeree in Israel may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose, nor be furnished to any other person other than those to whom copies have been provided directly by us or any underwriter. Each investor undertakes that any such material shall not be transferred to any other party, without our prior written consent.

Nothing in this prospectus supplement, the attached prospectus or any other offering document or marketing material relating to the depositary shares provided to an offeree should be considered as the rendering of a recommendation or advice, including investment advice or investment marketing under the Law For Regulation of Investment Advice, Investment Marketing and Investment Portfolio Management, 1995, to purchase and/or sell any securities or financial assets. Each investor declares that it understands that we do not recommend, advise or express any opinion with respect to the depositary shares, not with respect to the advisability of investing in the depositary shares, nor with respect to the advisability of investment in any party affiliated thereto.

The purchase of any depositary shares shall be based on an investor’s own understanding, for the investor’s own benefit and for the investor’s own account and not with the aim or intention of distributing or offering to other parties. In purchasing the depositary shares, each investor declares that it has the knowledge, expertise and experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the risks and merits of an investment in the depositary shares, without relying on any of the materials provided.

Japan

No Securities Registration Statement has been or will be filed pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No.25 of 1948, as amended, the “FIEA”) for the reason that the solicitation in respect of the depositary shares in Japan constitutes Small Number of Investors Solicitation (shoninzu-muke-kanyu) under Article 23-13, paragraph 4 of the FIEA. The depositary shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with the FIEA and any other applicable laws, regulations or governmental guidelines of Japan. As used in this paragraph, “resident of Japan” means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan. In particular, an investor who purchased the depositary shares must not transfer the depositary shares to any person other than as an en bloc transfer thereof to one transferee.

No Securities Registration Statement has been or will be filed pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 1 of the FIEA for the reason that the solicitation in respect of the depositary shares in Japan constitutes Qualified Institutional Investor Solicitation (tekikaku-kikan-toshika-muke-kanyu) under Article 23-13, paragraph 1 of the FIEA. The depositary shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with the FIEA and any other applicable laws, regulations or governmental guidelines of Japan. As used in this paragraph, “resident of Japan” means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan. In particular, an investor who purchases the depositary shares may not transfer the depositary shares to any person other than a Qualified Institutional Investor (tekikaku kikan toshika) as defined in Article 10 of the Cabinet Office Ordinance Concerning the Definition of Terms provided in Article 2 of the FIEA.

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Singapore

Each underwriter has acknowledged that this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the MAS under the SFA. Accordingly, each of the underwriters has represented, warranted and agreed that it has not offered or sold any depositary shares or caused the depositary shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell any depositary shares or cause the depositary shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the depositary shares, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the depositary shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

securities (as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) or securities-based derivatives contracts (as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the depositary shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

South Korea

The depositary shares may not be offered, sold and delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or re-sale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of Korea, except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea, including the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law and the decrees and regulations thereunder. The depositary shares have not been registered with the Financial Services Commission of Korea for public offering in Korea. Furthermore, the depositary shares may not be re-sold to Korean residents unless the purchaser of the depositary shares complies with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to government approval requirements under the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law and its subordinate decrees and regulations) in connection with their purchase.

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Switzerland

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus do not constitute an offer to the public or solicitation to purchase or invest in the depositary shares.

The depositary shares have not been offered and will not be offered to the public in Switzerland, except that offers of the depositary shares may be made to the public in Switzerland under the following exemptions under the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”):

provided always that any such offer is conducted in a manner that does not require us publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 35 FinSA.

The depositary shares have not been and will not be listed or admitted to trading on a trading venue in Switzerland.

Neither this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the depositary shares constitutes a prospectus within the meaning of FinSA and neither this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the depositary shares may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus and any other offering or marketing materials in relation to the depositary shares are personal to each recipient and may not be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in or into Switzerland.

Taiwan

The depositary shares may be made available for purchase outside Taiwan by investors residing in Taiwan (either directly or through properly licensed Taiwan intermediaries acting on behalf of such investors) but may not be offered or sold in Taiwan.

United Arab Emirates (excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Abu Dhabi Global Market)

The offering of the depositary shares has not been approved or licensed by the United Arab Emirates Central Bank, the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (“SCA”) or any other relevant licensing authorities in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”), and accordingly does not constitute a public offer of securities in the UAE in accordance with the commercial companies law, Federal Law No. 2 of 2015 Concerning Commercial Companies (as amended), and SCA Resolution No. 3 R.M. of 2017 Regulating Promotions and Introductions or otherwise. Accordingly, the depositary shares may not be offered to the public in the UAE.

This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus are strictly private and confidential and are being issued to a limited number of institutional and individual investors:

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United Kingdom

Prohibition of sales to UK Retail Investors

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available any depositary shares which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement and attached prospectus to any retail investor in the UK. For the purposes of this provision:

Other regulatory restrictions

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the Preferred Stock and the related depositary shares will be passed upon for us by McGuireWoods LLP, Charlotte, North Carolina, and for the underwriters by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York. McGuireWoods LLP regularly performs legal services for Bank of America.

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GLOSSARY

Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus supplement to “Bank of America,” “the Corporation,” “we,” “us,” and “our” are to Bank of America Corporation excluding its consolidated subsidiaries. Capitalized terms or other defined terms used, but not defined, in this prospectus supplement are defined in the attached prospectus. In addition, as used in the prospectus supplement, the following terms have the meanings set forth below, subject to any applicable Adjustments:

there is more than an insubstantial risk that we will not be entitled to treat an amount equal to the full liquidation preference of all shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding as additional Tier 1 capital (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines or regulations of the Federal Reserve or other appropriate federal banking agency, as then in effect and applicable, for as long as any share of Preferred Stock is outstanding;

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Other terms used herein and not included in the above glossary are defined elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.

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PROSPECTUS

$123,000,000,000

Debt Securities, Warrants, Units, Purchase Contracts,

Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, and Common Stock

We from time to time may offer to sell up to $123,000,000,000, or the equivalent thereof in any other currency, of our debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts, preferred stock, depositary shares representing fractional interests in our preferred stock, and common stock, as well as units comprised of one or more of these securities, in any combination. The debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts, and preferred stock may be convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common or preferred stock. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BAC.” The other securities that we may offer from time to time using this prospectus may be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or may be listed or quoted on another securities exchange or quotation system, as specified in the applicable supplement.

This prospectus provides a general description of these securities and the manner in which they will be offered. These securities may be offered for sale from time to time in amounts, on terms and at prices as shall be determined in connection with such offer and sale. These terms and prices will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. When we sell a particular issue of securities, we will provide one or more supplements to this prospectus describing the offering and the specific terms of those securities. You should read this prospectus and any applicable supplement carefully before you invest in these securities.

We will use this prospectus in the initial sale of these securities. In addition, BofA Securities, Inc., or any of our other broker-dealer affiliates, may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in any of these securities after their initial sale. Unless you are informed otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.

Potential purchasers of our securities should consider the information set forth in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 8.

Our securities are unsecured and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank, are not guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, and may involve investment risks.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Prospectus dated August 4, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the “SEC,” utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell any type of the securities described in this prospectus or the registration statement in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer and the manner in which they will be offered. Each time we offer and sell securities, we will provide one or more prospectus supplements and/or pricing supplements that describe the particular securities offering and the specific terms and provisions of the securities being offered. These documents also may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. In this prospectus, when we refer to the “applicable supplement,” we mean the prospectus supplement or supplements and any applicable prospectus addendum, as well as any applicable pricing or product supplements, that describe the particular securities being offered to you. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable supplement, you should rely on the information in the applicable supplement.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than information provided in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the applicable supplement. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may provide. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable supplement, as well as information we have filed or will file with the SEC and incorporated by reference in this prospectus, is accurate only as of the date of the applicable document or other date referred to in that document. Our business, financial condition, and results of operations may have changed since that date.

Capitalized or other terms used and defined in this prospectus are sometimes defined after their first use without a reference such as “as defined in this prospectus.”

Unless we indicate otherwise or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Bank of America,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to Bank of America Corporation excluding its consolidated subsidiaries.

References in this prospectus to “$,” “dollars” and “U.S. dollars” are to the currency of the United States of America; references to “Canadian dollars” are to the currency of Canada; and references in this prospectus to “euro” are to the currency introduced at the start of the third stage of the European Economic and Monetary Union pursuant to Article 109g of the Treaty establishing the European Community, as amended from time to time.

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RISK FACTORS

This section summarizes some specific risks and investment considerations with respect to an investment in our securities. This summary does not describe all of the risks and investment considerations with respect to an investment in our securities, including risks and considerations relating to a prospective investor’s particular circumstances. For information regarding risks and uncertainties that may materially affect our business and results, please refer to the information under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed in our subsequent filings that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You also should review the risk factors that will be set forth in any applicable supplement for a particular offering of securities. Prospective investors should consult their own financial, legal, tax, and other professional advisors as to the risks associated with an investment in our securities and the suitability of the investment for the investor.

Risks Relating to Regulatory Resolution Strategies and Long-Term Debt Requirements

A resolution under our single point of entry resolution strategy could materially adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and our ability to pay our obligations on our securities.

We are required periodically to submit a plan to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”) describing our resolution strategy under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the event of material financial distress or failure. In our current plan, our preferred resolution strategy is a single point of entry (“SPOE”) strategy. This strategy provides that only Bank of America (the parent holding company) files for resolution under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and contemplates providing certain key operating subsidiaries with sufficient capital and liquidity to operate through severe stress and to enable such subsidiaries to continue operating or be wound down in a solvent manner following a Bank of America bankruptcy. We have entered into intercompany arrangements governing the contribution of most of our capital and liquidity to these key subsidiaries. As part of these arrangements, we have transferred most of our assets (and have agreed to transfer additional assets) to a wholly-owned holding company subsidiary in exchange for a subordinated note. Certain of our remaining assets secure our ongoing obligations under these intercompany arrangements. The wholly-owned holding company subsidiary also has provided us with a committed line of credit that, in addition to our cash, dividends and interest payments, including interest payments we receive in respect of the subordinated note, may be used to fund our obligations. These intercompany arrangements include provisions to terminate the line of credit and forgive the subordinated note and require us to contribute our remaining financial assets to the wholly-owned holding company subsidiary if our projected liquidity resources deteriorate so severely that our resolution becomes imminent, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and ability to meet our obligations on our securities. In addition, our preferred resolution strategy could result in holders of our securities being in a worse position and suffering greater losses than would have been the case under a bankruptcy proceeding or other resolution scenarios or plans.

Under Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Financial Reform Act”), when a global systemically important banking organization (“G-SIB”), such as Bank of America, is in default or danger of default, the FDIC may be appointed receiver in order to conduct an orderly liquidation of such institution. In the event of such appointment, the FDIC could, among other things, invoke the orderly liquidation authority, instead of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, if the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury makes certain financial

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distress and systemic risk determinations. In 2013, the FDIC issued a notice describing its preferred “single point of entry” strategy for resolving a G-SIB. Under this approach, the FDIC could replace Bank of America with a bridge holding company, which could continue operations and result in an orderly resolution of the underlying bank, but whose equity would be held solely for the benefit of our creditors. The FDIC’s single point of entry strategy may result in holders of our securities suffering greater losses than would have been the case under a bankruptcy proceeding or a different resolution strategy.

If we enter a resolution proceeding, holders of our debt securities and equity securities would be at risk of absorbing our losses.

If we enter a resolution proceeding under either the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or Title II of the Financial Reform Act, our losses would be imposed first on holders of our equity securities and thereafter on holders of our unsecured debt, including our debt securities, and some or all of such securities could be significantly reduced or eliminated as a result of such resolution proceeding.

Under our SPOE resolution strategy, and the single point of entry strategy preferred by the FDIC under Title II of the Financial Reform Act, the value that would be distributed to holders of our unsecured debt, including our debt securities, may not be sufficient to repay all or part of the principal amount and interest on such debt, and holders of such debt could receive no consideration at all under these resolution scenarios. Either of these resolution strategies could result in holders of our debt securities being in a worse position and suffering greater losses than would have been the case under a different resolution strategy. Although SPOE is our preferred resolution strategy, neither Bank of America nor a bankruptcy court would be obligated to follow our SPOE strategy. Additionally, the FDIC is not obligated to follow its “single point of entry” strategy to resolve Bank of America under Title II of the Financial Reform Act. For more information regarding the financial consequences of any such resolution proceeding, see “Description of Debt Securities—Financial Consequences to Unsecured Debtholders of Single Point of Entry Resolution Strategy” below.

We are subject to the Federal Reserve’s final rules requiring U.S. G-SIBs to maintain minimum amounts of long-term debt meeting specified eligibility requirements.

Under the rules of the Federal Reserve relating to total loss-absorbing capacity (the “TLAC Rules”), we, as a U.S. G-SIB, are required to, among other things, maintain minimum amounts of unsecured external long-term debt satisfying certain eligibility criteria (“eligible LTD”) and other loss-absorbing capacity for the purpose of absorbing our losses in a resolution proceeding under either the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or Title II of the Financial Reform Act. Any senior long-term debt must include terms required by the TLAC Rules in order to qualify as eligible LTD. Actions required to comply with the TLAC Rules could impact our funding and liquidity risk management plans.

Risks Relating to Debt Securities Generally

Our obligations on the debt securities will be structurally subordinated to liabilities of our subsidiaries.

Because we are a holding company, our right to participate in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon such subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent we may ourselves be recognized as a creditor of that subsidiary. As a result, our obligations under the debt securities will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries, and claimants should look only to our assets for payments. Further, creditors of subsidiaries recapitalized pursuant to our

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resolution plan generally would be entitled to payment of their claims from the assets of the subsidiaries, including our contributed assets. In addition, our debt securities will be unsecured and, therefore, in a bankruptcy or similar proceeding, will effectively rank junior to our secured obligations to the extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations.

Holders of our debt securities could be at greater risk for being structurally subordinated if we sell or convey all or substantially all of our assets to one or more of our majority-owned subsidiaries.

We may sell, convey or transfer all or substantially all of our assets to one or more entities that are direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiaries of ours in which we or one or more of our subsidiaries owns more than 50% of the combined voting power, and under the indentures under which the debt securities will be issued, such subsidiary or subsidiaries will not be required to assume our obligations under such debt securities, and we will remain the sole obligor on such debt securities. In such event, creditors of any such subsidiary or subsidiaries would have additional assets from which to recover on their claims while holders of our debt securities would be structurally subordinated to creditors of such subsidiary or subsidiaries with respect to such transferred assets. See “Description of Debt Securities—Limitation on Mergers and Sales of Assets” below for more information.

Events for which acceleration rights under our senior debt securities may be exercised are more limited than those available pursuant to the terms of our outstanding senior debt securities issued prior to January 13, 2017.

In response to the TLAC Rules, on January 13, 2017, we modified the terms of our senior debt securities to be issued on or after that date to, among other things, limit the circumstances under which the payment of the principal amount of such senior debt securities can be accelerated (unless specified otherwise in the applicable supplement).

All or substantially all of our outstanding senior debt securities issued prior to January 13, 2017 (the “Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities”) provide acceleration rights for nonpayment or bankruptcy. The Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities also provide acceleration rights if we default in the performance of our covenants in those debt securities or the applicable indenture under which those securities were issued. In addition, the Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities do not require a 30-day cure period before a nonpayment of principal becomes an event of default and acceleration rights become exercisable with respect to such nonpayment.

However, under the Senior Indenture (as defined below), unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, payment of the principal amount of our senior debt securities issued under such indenture:

As a result of these differing provisions, if we breach or otherwise default in the performance of a covenant (other than a payment covenant) that applies both to senior debt securities that we

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issued on or after January 13, 2017 and the Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities, the Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities would have acceleration rights that would not be available to the holders of our other senior debt securities. In addition, if we fail to pay principal when due with respect to our senior debt securities issued on or after on or after January 13, 2017 and the Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities, an event of default would occur immediately with respect to the Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities (and the exercise of acceleration rights could proceed immediately in accordance with the provisions of the indenture under which those debt securities were issued), while the holders of our other senior debt securities must wait for the 30-day cure period to expire before such nonpayment of principal becomes an event of default and any acceleration rights are triggered with respect to such nonpayment. Any repayment of the principal amount of Pre-2017 Senior Debt Securities following the exercise of acceleration rights in circumstances in which such rights are not available to the holders of our other senior debt securities (including our debt securities offered by this prospectus) could adversely affect our ability to make timely payments on such other senior debt securities thereafter.

The market value of the debt securities may be less than the principal amount of the debt securities.

The market for, and market value of, the debt securities may be affected by a number of factors. These factors include:

Often, the only way to liquidate your investment in the debt securities prior to maturity will be to sell the debt securities. At that time, there may be a very illiquid market for the debt securities or no market at all. If you sell your debt securities prior to maturity, you may receive less than the principal amount of such debt securities.

Acceleration rights for our subordinated debt securities are available only in limited circumstances.

The rights of acceleration under our subordinated debt securities are more limited than those available pursuant to the terms of our senior debt securities. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the payment of principal of our subordinated debt securities may be accelerated only in the event of our voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy under U.S. federal bankruptcy laws (and, in the case of our involuntary bankruptcy, such event continues for a period of 60 days). If you purchase any subordinated debt securities, you will have no right to accelerate

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the payment of principal of the subordinated debt securities if we fail to pay principal or interest when due on those subordinated debt securities or if we fail in the performance of any of our other obligations under those subordinated debt securities.

Our obligations under subordinated debt securities will be subordinated.

Holders of our subordinated debt securities should recognize that contractual provisions in the Subordinated Indenture (as defined below) may prohibit us from making payments on the subordinated debt securities. The subordinated debt securities are unsecured and subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness (as defined in the Subordinated Indenture), to the extent and in the manner provided in the Subordinated Indenture. In addition, the subordinated debt securities may be fully subordinated to interests held by the U.S. government in the event we enter into a receivership, insolvency, liquidation or similar proceedings, including a proceeding under Title II of the Financial Reform Act. For additional information regarding the subordination provisions applicable to the subordinated debt securities, see “Description of Debt Securities—Subordination” below.

Redemption of our debt securities prior to maturity may result in a reduced return on your investment.

The terms of our debt securities may permit or require redemption of the debt securities prior to maturity. That redemption may occur at a time when prevailing interest rates are relatively low. As a result, a holder of the redeemed debt securities may not be able to invest the redemption proceeds in a new investment that yields a similar return.

Risks Relating to Our Common Stock and Preferred Stock

Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock and preferred stock may be limited by regulatory policies and requirements.

We are subject to various regulatory policies and requirements relating to capital actions, including payment of dividends. For instance, Federal Reserve regulations require major U.S. bank holding companies to submit a capital plan as part of an annual Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (“CCAR”). Our ability to pay dividends depends in part on our ability to maintain regulatory capital levels above minimum requirements plus buffers. To the extent that the Federal Reserve increases our stress capital buffer (“SCB”), GSIB surcharge or countercyclical capital buffer, our ability to pay or increase dividends could be limited. As part of its CCAR, the Federal Reserve conducts stress testing on parts of our business using hypothetical economic scenarios prepared by the Federal Reserve. Those scenarios may affect our CCAR stress test results, which may impact the level of our SCB. Additionally, the Federal Reserve may impose limitations or prohibitions on taking capital actions such as paying or increasing common stock dividends. If the Federal Reserve finds that any of our U.S. bank subsidiaries are not “well-capitalized” or “well-managed,” we would be required to enter into an agreement with the Federal Reserve to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements, which may contain additional limitations or conditions relating to our activities. Additionally, the applicable federal regulatory authority is authorized to determine, under certain circumstances relating to the financial condition of a bank or bank holding company, that the payment of dividends would be an unsafe or unsound practice and to prohibit payment thereof.

You may not receive dividends on our common stock.

Holders of our common stock are only entitled to receive such dividends as our board of directors may declare out of funds legally available for such payments. Furthermore, holders of our

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common stock are subject to the prior dividend rights of holders of our preferred stock or the depositary shares representing such preferred stock then outstanding. Although we have historically declared cash dividends on our common stock, we are not required to do so and may reduce or eliminate our common stock dividend in the future.

Our common stock is equity and is subordinate to our existing and future indebtedness and preferred stock.

Shares of our common stock are equity interests in us and do not constitute indebtedness. This means that shares of our common stock will rank junior to all of our indebtedness and to other non-equity claims against us and our assets available to satisfy claims against us, including claims in our liquidation. Additionally, holders of our common stock are subject to the prior dividend and liquidation rights of holders of our outstanding preferred stock or depositary shares representing interests in such preferred stock then outstanding. Our board of directors is authorized to issue additional classes or series of preferred stock without any action on the part of the holders of our common stock. As of July 30, 2021, the aggregate liquidation preference of all our outstanding preferred stock was approximately $23.7 billion.

Our preferred stock is equity and is subordinate to our existing and future indebtedness.

Shares of our preferred stock are equity interests in us and do not constitute indebtedness. This means that shares of our preferred stock and any depositary shares which represent interests in shares of our preferred stock will rank junior to all of our indebtedness and to other non-equity claims against us and our assets available to satisfy claims against us, including claims in our liquidation. Our existing and future indebtedness may restrict payment of dividends on our preferred stock. In addition, holders of our preferred stock or depositary shares representing interests in shares of our preferred stock may be fully subordinated to interests held by the U.S. government in the event that we enter into a receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding.

Cash dividends on our preferred stock are subject to certain limitations.

Unlike indebtedness, where principal and interest customarily are payable on specified due dates, in the case of our preferred stock (1) dividends are payable only when, as and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors and (2) as a corporation, we are restricted to making dividend payments and redemption payments on our preferred stock out of legally available funds. In addition, under the Federal Reserve’s risk-based capital rules related to additional Tier 1 capital instruments, dividends on our preferred stock may only be paid out of our net income, retained earnings or surplus related to other additional Tier 1 capital instruments.

If we are deferring payments on our outstanding junior subordinated notes or are in default under the indentures governing those securities, we will be prohibited from making distributions on our common stock and preferred stock, or redeeming our preferred stock.

The terms of our currently outstanding junior subordinated notes prohibit us from declaring or paying any dividends or distributions on our common stock and preferred stock, or redeeming, purchasing, acquiring, or making a liquidation payment on such stock, if we are aware of any event that would be an event of default under the indenture governing those junior subordinated notes or at any time when we have deferred payment of interest on those junior subordinated notes.

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Other Risks

Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock and preferred stock and to make payments on our debt securities depends upon our receipt of funds from our subsidiaries and applicable laws and regulations, and actions we have taken pursuant to our resolution plan, could restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to transfer funds to us.

We are a holding company and conduct substantially all of our operations through our subsidiaries. We depend on dividends and other distributions, loans and other payments from our subsidiaries to fund dividend payments on our common stock and preferred stock and to fund payments on our other obligations, including the debt securities. Any inability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make payments to us may adversely affect our cash flow and financial condition. Many of our subsidiaries, including our bank and broker-dealer subsidiaries, are subject to laws that restrict dividend payments or authorize regulatory bodies to block or reduce the flow of funds from those subsidiaries to us or to our other subsidiaries. In addition, our bank and broker-dealer subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on their ability to lend or transact with affiliates and to minimum regulatory capital and liquidity requirements. Lower earnings in our subsidiaries can reduce the amount of funds available to us. Adverse business and economic conditions, including changes in interest and currency exchange rates, illiquidity or volatility in areas where we have concentrated credit risk, and a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, could affect our businesses and results of operations. Intercompany arrangements we have entered into in connection with our resolution planning could restrict the amount of funding available to us from our subsidiaries under certain adverse conditions, as described above under “—A resolution under our single point of entry resolution strategy could materially adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and our ability to pay our obligations on our securities.” These restrictions could prevent those subsidiaries from paying dividends or making other distributions to us or otherwise providing funds to us that we need in order to pay dividends or make payments on our securities. Also, our right to participate in any distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon such subsidiary’s liquidation or otherwise will be subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent that any of our claims as a creditor of such subsidiary may be recognized.

We cannot assure you that a trading market for your securities will ever develop or be maintained.

We may not list our securities on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how these securities will trade in the secondary market or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid. The number of potential buyers of our securities in any secondary market may be limited. Although any underwriters or agents may purchase and sell our securities in the secondary market from time to time, these underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue making a market for the securities at any time without giving us notice. We cannot assure you that a secondary market for any of our securities will develop, or that if one develops, it will be maintained.

Our trading activities may create conflicts of interest with you.

We or one or more of our broker-dealer affiliates, including BofA Securities, Inc., may engage in trading activities that are not for your account or on your behalf. These trading activities may present a conflict of interest between the interest of holders of the securities and the interests we and our affiliates may have in our proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our other customers, and in accounts under our management. These trading activities

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could influence secondary trading (if any) in the securities, or otherwise could be adverse to the interests of a beneficial owner of the securities.

Payments on the securities are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness may affect the value of our securities.

Our credit ratings are an assessment of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently, our perceived creditworthiness and actual or anticipated changes in our credit ratings may affect the market value of our securities. However, because the return on our securities generally depends upon factors in addition to our ability to pay our obligations, an improvement in our credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks, if any, related to our securities.

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BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION

Bank of America Corporation is a Delaware corporation, a bank holding company, and a financial holding company. Through various bank and nonbank subsidiaries throughout the United States and in international markets, we provide a diversified range of banking and nonbank financial services and products. Our principal executive offices are located in the Bank of America Corporate Center, 100 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255 and our telephone number is (704) 386-5681.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless we describe a different use in the applicable supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes include, but are not limited to, the following:

Until we designate the use of these net proceeds, we will invest them temporarily. From time to time, we may engage in additional financings as we determine appropriate based on our needs and prevailing market conditions. These additional financings may include the sale of other securities.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

We may issue senior or subordinated debt securities. Neither the senior debt securities nor the subordinated debt securities will be secured by any of our property or assets. As a result, by owning a debt security, you are one of our unsecured creditors.

The senior debt securities will constitute part of our senior debt, will be issued under our Senior Indenture described below, and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt from time to time outstanding, except obligations that are subject to any priorities or preferences by law.

The subordinated debt securities will constitute part of our subordinated debt, will be issued under our Subordinated Indenture described below, and will be subordinated and junior in right of payment to all of our “senior indebtedness,” as defined in the Subordinated Indenture, from time to time outstanding to the extent and in the manner provided in the Subordinated Indenture. The subordinated debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all our other unsecured and subordinated indebtedness, other than unsecured and subordinated indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated to the subordinated debt securities. Neither the Senior Indenture nor the Subordinated Indenture limits our ability to incur additional “senior indebtedness.”

This section of the prospectus provides a summary of the material terms of the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture and certain specific terms of debt securities that may be applicable if so specified in the applicable supplement for such debt securities.

Financial Consequences to Unsecured Debtholders of Single Point of Entry Resolution Strategy

We are subject to the TLAC Rules, which aim to improve the resiliency and resolvability of U.S. global systemically important bank holding companies (“covered BHCs”), including Bank of America, in the event of failure or material financial distress. The TLAC Rules include the requirement that each covered BHC maintain a minimum amount of eligible LTD and other loss-absorbing capacity. The eligible LTD would absorb the covered BHC’s losses, following the depletion of its equity, upon its entry into a resolution proceeding under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or a resolution proceeding administered by the FDIC under Title II of the Financial Reform Act.

Under Title I of the Financial Reform Act, we are required by the Federal Reserve and the FDIC to periodically submit a plan for a rapid and orderly resolution under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the event of material financial distress or failure. Our preferred resolution strategy under this plan is our SPOE strategy under which only Bank of America would enter bankruptcy proceedings. Under this strategy, and pursuant to existing intercompany arrangements under which we have transferred most of our assets to a wholly-owned holding company subsidiary, which holds the equity interests in our key operating subsidiaries, we would contribute our remaining financial assets, less a holdback to cover our bankruptcy expenses, to this wholly-owned holding company subsidiary prior to filing for bankruptcy. We would then file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Pursuant to an order from the bankruptcy court under section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, we, as debtor-in-possession, would transfer our subsidiaries to a newly-formed entity (“NewCo”) that would be held in trust for the sole and exclusive benefit of our bankruptcy estate.

Under our SPOE resolution strategy, the obligations of Bank of America on its unsecured debt, including the debt securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, would not be assumed by NewCo;

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instead, the claims on such obligations would be left behind in the bankruptcy proceeding. After the transferred subsidiaries were stabilized, NewCo’s residual value in the form of shares or proceeds from the sale of shares would be distributed to the holders of claims against the bankruptcy estate in accordance with the priority of their claims, including to holders of our debt securities.

In 2013, the FDIC issued a notice describing its similar preferred “single point of entry” recapitalization model for resolving a global systemically important banking group, such as Bank of America, under Title II of the Financial Reform Act. Under Title II, when a covered BHC is in default or danger of default, the FDIC may be appointed receiver in order to conduct an orderly liquidation of such institution as an alternative to resolution of the entity under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code if the Secretary of the Treasury makes certain financial distress and systemic risk determinations. Pursuant to the single point of entry recapitalization model, the FDIC would use its power to create a “bridge entity” for the covered BHC; transfer the systemically important and viable parts of the covered BHC’s business to the bridge entity; recapitalize those subsidiaries using assets of the covered BHC that have been transferred to the bridge entity; and exchange external debt claims against the covered BHC, including claims of holders of our debt securities and other unsecured debt, for equity in the bridge entity. This strategy would allow operating subsidiaries of the covered BHC to continue to operate and impose losses on stockholders and creditors of the covered BHC, which could include holders of our debt securities.

The Indentures

The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities each are governed by a document called an indenture, which is a contract between us and the applicable trustee. Senior debt securities will be issued under the Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of June 27, 2018 (as supplemented from time to time, the “Senior Indenture”) between us, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, and subordinated debt securities will be issued under the Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities dated as of June 27, 2018 (as supplemented from time to time, the “Subordinated Indenture”) between us, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. These indentures are substantially identical in all material respects, except for:

In this prospectus, when we refer to “debt securities,” we mean both our senior debt securities and our subordinated debt securities. When we refer to the “indenture” or the “trustee” with respect to any debt securities, we mean the indenture under which those debt securities are issued and the trustee under that indenture, and when we refer to the “indentures,” we mean both the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture, together.

The trustee under each indenture has two principal functions:

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Neither of the indentures limit the aggregate amount of debt securities that we may issue or the number of series or the aggregate amount of any particular series of debt securities. The indentures and the debt securities also do not limit our ability to incur other indebtedness or to issue other securities. This means that we may issue additional debt securities and other securities at any time without your consent and without notifying you. In addition, neither of the indentures contain provisions protecting holders against a decline in our credit quality resulting from takeovers, recapitalizations, the incurrence of additional indebtedness, or restructuring. If our credit quality declines as a result of an event of this type, or otherwise, any ratings of our debt securities then outstanding may be withdrawn or downgraded.

This section is a summary of the material terms and provisions of the indentures. We have filed the indentures with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below for information on how to obtain copies of the indentures. Whenever we refer to the defined terms of an indenture in this prospectus or in a supplement hereto without defining them, the terms have the meanings given to them in that indenture. You must look to the indentures for the most complete description of the information summarized in this prospectus.

Form and Denomination of Debt Securities

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we will issue each debt security in book-entry only form. Debt securities in book-entry only form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee. Accordingly, the depository or its nominee will be the registered holder of all the debt securities represented by the global security. Those who own beneficial interests in a global security will do so through participants in the depository’s securities clearing system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depository and its participants. We describe the procedures applicable to book-entry only securities below under the heading “Registration and Settlement.”

Generally, all debt securities represented by the same global security will have the same terms. We may, however, issue a global security that represents multiple debt securities that have different terms and are issued at different times. We call this kind of global security a master global security. Your debt securities will not be represented by a master global security unless we so specify in the applicable supplement.

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we will issue our debt securities in fully registered form, without coupons. If we issue a debt security in bearer form, we will describe the special considerations applicable to bearer securities in the applicable supplement. Some of the features that we describe in this prospectus may not apply to bearer securities.

Our debt securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or in another currency as may be specified in the applicable supplement. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the debt securities will be denominated in U.S. dollars, and unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the debt securities will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $1,000.

Payment for Non-U.S. Dollar-Denominated Debt Securities

For any debt securities denominated or payable in a currency other than U.S. dollars (referred to as “non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities”), the initial investors will be required to pay for

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the debt securities in that foreign currency. The applicable selling agent may arrange for the conversion of U.S. dollars into the applicable foreign currency to facilitate payment for the non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities by U.S. purchasers desiring to make the initial payment in U.S. dollars. Any such conversion will be made by that selling agent on the terms and subject to the conditions, limitations, and charges as it may establish from time to time in accordance with its regular foreign exchange procedures, and subject to U.S. laws and regulations. All costs of any such conversion for the initial purchase of the non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities will be borne by the initial investors using those conversion arrangements.

Different Series of Debt Securities

We may issue our debt securities from time to time in one or more series with the same or different maturities. We also may “reopen” a series of our debt securities. This means that we can increase the principal amount of a series of our debt securities by selling additional debt securities with the same terms, provided that such additional debt securities shall be fungible for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We may do so without notice to the existing holders of debt securities of that series. However, any new debt securities of this kind may begin to bear interest at a different date.

This section of the prospectus summarizes the material terms of the debt securities that are common to all series under the respective indentures. We will describe the financial and other specific terms of the series of debt securities being offered in the applicable supplement. The applicable supplement also may describe any differences from the material terms described in this prospectus. If there are any differences between the applicable supplement and this prospectus, the applicable supplement will control.

The terms of your series of debt securities as described in the applicable supplement may include the following:

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Types of Debt Securities

We may issue the types of debt securities described in this section, and we also may issue debt securities that do not bear interest (which we refer to as “zero coupon notes”).

Fixed-Rate Notes

We may issue debt securities that bear interest at one or more fixed rates of interest, as specified in the applicable supplement. We refer to these debt securities as “fixed-rate notes.” We also may issue fixed-rate notes that combine principal and interest payments in installment payments over the life of the notes which we refer to as “amortizing notes.” We will make payments on fixed-rate notes as described below under the heading “—Payment of Principal, Interest, and Other Amounts Payable” and in the applicable supplement.

Floating-Rate Notes

We may issue debt securities that will bear interest at a floating rate of interest determined by reference to one or more interest rate bases, referred to as the “base rate.” We refer to these debt securities as “floating-rate notes.” The base rate for a series of floating-rate notes will be specified in, and will be determined in accordance with the specific formula and/or applicable terms and provisions set forth in, the applicable supplement.

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Fixed/Floating Rate Notes

We may issue a debt security with elements of each of the fixed-rate and floating-rate notes described above. For example, a debt security may bear interest at a fixed rate for some interest periods and at a floating rate in other interest periods. We refer to these debt securities as “fixed/floating rate notes.” We will describe the determination of interest or other amounts payable for any of these debt securities in the applicable supplement.

Fixed-Rate Reset Notes

We may issue debt securities that bear interest at a fixed rate for a specified portion of their term and then reset that fixed rate at specified intervals for the remainder of their term. We refer to these debt securities as “fixed-rate reset notes.” The rate of interest on such debt securities will be specified in, and will be determined in accordance with the terms and provisions set forth in, the applicable supplement.

Calculation Agents for Certain Types of Debt Securities

For any (a) floating-rate notes, (b) fixed/floating rate notes, during any floating-rate period, or (c) fixed-rate reset notes, calculations will be made by the applicable calculation agent, which will be an institution that we appoint as our agent for this purpose. The calculation agent may be one of our affiliates and also may be The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. For floating-rate notes, we will identify in the applicable supplement the initial calculation agent we have appointed for a particular series of debt securities as of the original issue date for such debt securities. For fixed/floating rate notes and fixed-rate reset notes, we may identify the initial calculation agent in the applicable supplement or we may appoint the calculation agent for a particular series of debt securities after the original issue date for such debt securities, at any time prior to the commencement of the first floating-rate period, in the case of fixed/floating rate notes, or before the first date on which a calculation is required to be performed, in the case of fixed-rate reset notes. We may remove and/or appoint different calculation agents from time to time after the original issue date for a series of debt securities, or we may elect to act as the calculation agent with respect to such debt securities, in each case without your consent and without notifying you of the change. Absent manifest error, all determinations of the calculation agent will be final and binding on you, the trustee and us.

Original Issue Discount Notes

Any of the types of notes described above may be an original issue discount note. Original issue discount notes are debt securities that are issued at a price lower than their stated principal amount or lower than their minimum guaranteed repayment amount at maturity. Original issue discount notes may bear no interest (which we refer to as “zero coupon notes”) or may bear interest at a rate that is below market rates at the time of issuance. Amounts payable in the event of redemption, repayment or upon an acceleration of the maturity of an original issue discount note will be determined in accordance with the terms of that debt security, as described in the applicable supplement. That amount normally is less than the amount payable at the maturity date. A debt security issued at a discount to its principal may, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, be considered an original issue discount note, regardless of the amount payable upon redemption or acceleration of maturity. See “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation of Debt Securities” below for a summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning an original issue discount note.

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Payment of Principal, Interest, and Other Amounts Payable

Paying Agents

We may appoint one or more financial institutions to act as our paying agents. Initially, under the indentures we have appointed The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. to act as our paying agent with respect to the debt securities through its corporate trust office currently located at 4655 Salisbury Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32256. We may add, replace or terminate any paying agent from time to time in accordance with the applicable indenture, in each case without your consent and without notifying you of such change. In addition, we may decide to act as our own paying agent with respect to some or all of the debt securities, and the paying agent may resign, in each case without your consent and without notifying you of such event.

Payments to Holders and Record Dates for Interest

We refer to each date on which interest is payable on a debt security as an “interest payment date.” Subject to any applicable business day convention set forth in the applicable supplement, interest payments on the debt securities will be made on each interest payment date applicable to, and at the maturity date, or earlier redemption date, of, the applicable debt securities. Interest payable on any interest payment date other than the maturity date, or earlier redemption date, will be paid to the registered holder of the debt security at the close of business on the regular record date for that interest payment date. However, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the initial interest payment on a debt security issued between a regular record date and the interest payment date immediately following the regular record date will be made on the second interest payment date following the original issue date to the holder of record on the regular record date preceding the second interest payment date. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the principal and interest payable at maturity, or earlier redemption, will be paid to the holder of the debt security at the time of payment by the paying agent.

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the record date for any interest payment for a debt security in book-entry only form will be the date that is one business day prior to the payment date, unless such debt security is a non-U.S. dollar denominated debt security held through DTC, in which case the record date for an interest payment date will be the fifteenth calendar day prior to such interest payment date, whether or not such record date is a business day. If the debt security is in a form that is other than book-entry only, and unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the regular record date for an interest payment date will be the fifteenth calendar day prior to such interest payment date, whether or not such record date is a business day.

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the term “business day” means any weekday that is not a legal holiday in New York, New York, Charlotte, North Carolina, or any other place of payment of the applicable debt security, and is not a date on which banking institutions in those cities are authorized or required by law or regulation to be closed.

Payments Due in U.S. Dollars

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, our debt securities will be denominated, and payments with respect to the debt securities will be made, in U.S. dollars. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we will follow the practices described in this section when we pay amounts that are due in U.S. dollars.

We will make payments on debt securities in book-entry only form in accordance with arrangements then in place between the paying agent and the depository or its nominee, as holder.

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An indirect owner’s right to receive those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depository and its participants, as described below under the heading “Registration and Settlement.”

Book-entry and other indirect owners should contact their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on their debt securities.

We will pay any interest on debt securities in definitive form on each interest payment date other than the maturity date, or earlier redemption date, by, in our discretion, wire transfer of immediately available funds or check mailed to holders of the debt securities on the applicable record date at the address appearing on our or the security registrar’s records. We will pay principal and any premium, interest, or other amounts payable at the maturity date, or earlier redemption date, of a debt security in definitive form by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the registered holders of the debt security at the time of payment.

Payments Due in Other Currencies

General

If any of the debt securities are denominated, or if principal and any premium, interest, or other amounts payable on any of the debt securities is payable, in a foreign currency, the specified currency, as well as any additional investment considerations, risk factors, restrictions, tax consequences, specific terms and other information relating to that series of debt securities and the specified currency will be described in the applicable supplement.

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we will follow the practices described in this section when we pay amounts that are due on non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, and except as described below, holders of non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities are not entitled to receive payments in U.S. dollars of an amount due in another currency, either on a global debt security or a debt security in definitive form.

We will make payments on non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities in book-entry only form in the applicable specified currency in accordance with arrangements then in place between the paying agent and the depository or its nominee, as holder. An indirect owner’s right to receive those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depository and its participants, as described below under the heading “Registration and Settlement.”

Non-U.S. Dollar-Denominated Debt Securities Held Through DTC

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, holders of beneficial interests in non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities through a participant in The Depository Trust Company, or “DTC,” will receive payments in U.S. dollars, unless they elect to receive payments on those debt securities in the applicable foreign currency. If a holder of such beneficial interests through DTC does not make an election through its DTC participant to receive payments in the applicable foreign currency, the exchange rate agent for the relevant non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities to be appointed by us will convert payments to that holder into U.S. dollars, and all costs of those conversions will be borne by that holder by deduction from the applicable payments.

The holder of a beneficial interest in global non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities held through a DTC participant may elect to receive payments on those debt securities in the foreign

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currency by notifying the DTC participant through which it holds its beneficial interests on or prior to the fifteenth business day prior to the record date for the applicable debt securities of (1) that holder’s election to receive all or a portion of the payment in the applicable foreign currency and (2) wire transfer instructions to an account for the applicable foreign currency outside the United States. DTC must be notified of the election and wire transfer instructions (a) on or prior to the fifth business day after the record date for any payment of interest and (b) on or prior to the tenth business day prior to the date for any payment of principal. DTC will notify the trustee or other applicable paying agent of the election and wire transfer instructions (1) on or prior to the fifth business day after the record date for any payment of interest and (2) on or prior to the tenth business day prior to the date for any payment of principal. If complete instructions are forwarded to and received by DTC through a DTC participant and forwarded by DTC to the trustee or other applicable paying agent and received on or prior to the dates described above, the holder will receive payment in the applicable foreign currency outside DTC; otherwise, only U.S. dollar payments will be made by the trustee or other applicable paying agent to DTC.

For holders of non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities held through a DTC participant not electing payment in the applicable foreign currency, the U.S. dollar amount of any payment will be the amount of the applicable foreign currency otherwise payable, converted into U.S. dollars at the applicable exchange rate prevailing as of 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second business day prior to the relevant payment date, less any costs incurred by the exchange rate agent for that conversion unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement. The costs of those conversions will be shared pro rata among the holders of beneficial interests in the applicable global notes receiving U.S. dollar payments in the proportion of their respective holdings. The exchange rate agent, to be appointed by us at the time of issuance for such non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities held through a DTC participant, will make those conversions in accordance with prevailing market practice and the terms of the applicable debt security and with any applicable arrangements between us and the exchange rate agent.

If an exchange rate quotation is unavailable from the entity or source ordinarily used by the exchange rate agent in the normal course of business, the exchange rate agent will obtain a quotation from a leading foreign exchange bank in New York City, which may be an affiliate of the exchange rate agent or another entity selected by the exchange rate agent for that purpose after consultation with us. If no quotation from a leading foreign exchange bank is available, payment will be made in the applicable foreign currency to the account or accounts specified by DTC to the trustee or other applicable paying agent, unless the applicable foreign currency is unavailable due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control.

Unavailability of Currencies and Replacement Currencies

If, at or about the time of payment of any principal, premium or interest on a non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt security, the relevant specified currency is not legal tender for the payment of public and private debts in the country issuing the currency as of the original issue date of such debt security or is otherwise unavailable, and the relevant specified currency has been replaced by another currency that has become legal tender for the payment of public and private debts in such country (a “replacement currency”), any amount payable pursuant to such debt security may be paid, at our option, in the replacement currency or in U.S. dollars, at a rate of exchange which takes into account the conversion, at the rate prevailing on the most recent date on which official conversion rates were quoted or set by the national government or other authority responsible for issuing the replacement currency, from the specified currency to the replacement currency or to U.S. dollars, if applicable, and, if necessary, the conversion of the replacement currency into U.S. dollars at the rate prevailing on the date of such conversion. In this circumstance, we will appoint a financial institution to act as exchange rate agent for purposes of making the required conversions

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in accordance with prevailing market practice and the terms of the applicable debt security and with any applicable arrangements between us and the exchange rate agent.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the relevant specified currency may not be available to us for making payments of principal of or any premium, interest or other amounts payable on any non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities. This could occur due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control, or if the specified currency is no longer used by the government of the country issuing that currency or by public institutions within the international banking community for the settlement of transactions. If the specified currency is unavailable and has not been replaced, and unless otherwise specified in the applicable supplement, we may satisfy our obligations to holders of the relevant non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities by making those payments due in the relevant specified currency on the date of payment in U.S. dollars. The amount of such payments made in U.S. dollars will be determined by an exchange rate agent to be appointed by us on the basis of the noon dollar buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of the specified currency or currencies in which a payment on any such non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities was to be made, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which is referred to as the “market exchange rate,” or such other rate as may be set forth in the applicable supplement. If that rate of exchange is not then available or is not published for a particular payment currency, the market exchange rate will be based on the highest bid quotation in The City of New York received by the exchange rate agent at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second business day preceding the applicable payment date from three recognized foreign exchange dealers for the purchase by the quoting dealer:

One of the dealers providing quotations may be the exchange rate agent unless the exchange rate agent is our affiliate. If those bid quotations are not available, the exchange rate agent will determine the market exchange rate at its sole discretion in accordance with prevailing market practice and the terms of the applicable debt security and with any applicable arrangements between us and the exchange rate agent.

The above provisions do not apply if a specified currency is unavailable because it has been replaced by the euro. If the euro has been substituted for a specified currency of the relevant non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt security, we may, at our option, or will, if required by applicable law, without the consent of the holders of the affected debt securities, pay the principal of and any premium, interest or other amounts payable on any non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities in euro instead of the specified currency, in conformity with legally applicable measures taken pursuant to, or by virtue of, the Treaty establishing the European Community, as amended. Any payment made in U.S. dollars, an applicable replacement currency, or in euro as described above where the required payment is in an unavailable specified currency will not constitute an event of default under the relevant indenture or the applicable notes.

The exchange rate agent to be appointed by us may be one of our affiliates, and, from time to time after the initial appointment of an exchange rate agent, we may appoint one or more different exchange rate agents for the relevant non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt security without your consent and without notifying you of the change. The exchange rate agent will determine the applicable rate of exchange that would apply to a payment made in U.S. dollars or a replacement currency in its sole discretion unless we state in the applicable supplement that any determination

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requires our approval. Absent manifest error, those determinations will be final and binding on you and us.

For purposes of the above discussion about currency conversions and payments on non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities, unless otherwise specified in the applicable supplement, the term “business day” means any weekday that is not a legal holiday in New York, New York or Charlotte, North Carolina and is not a day on which banking institutions in those cities are authorized or required by law or regulation to be closed.

Book-entry and other indirect owners of a debt security with a specified currency other than U.S. dollars should contact their banks or brokers for information about how to receive payments in the specified currency or in U.S. dollars.

Non-U.S. Dollar-Denominated Securities in Definitive Form

We will pay any interest on non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities in definitive form on each interest payment date other than the maturity date, or earlier redemption date, by, in our discretion, wire transfer of immediately available funds or check mailed to holders of the debt securities on the applicable record date at the address appearing on our or the security registrar’s records. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we will pay principal and any premium, interest, or other amounts payable at the maturity date, or earlier redemption date, of a non-U.S. dollar-denominated debt security in definitive form by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the registered holders of the debt security at the time of payment.

No Sinking Fund

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, our debt securities will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund. This means that we will not deposit money on a regular basis into any separate custodial account to repay the debt securities.

Redemption

The applicable supplement will indicate whether we may redeem the debt securities prior to their stated maturity. If we may redeem the debt securities prior to their stated maturity, the applicable supplement will indicate the redemption price, the method for redemption, and the date or dates upon which we may redeem the debt securities. Debt securities to be redeemed in part may only be redeemed in increments of their minimum denomination. The redemption of any debt security that is our eligible LTD will require the prior approval of the Federal Reserve if after such redemption we would fail to satisfy our requirements as to eligible LTD or total loss-absorbing capacity under the TLAC Rules. In addition, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, to the extent then required by applicable laws or regulations, our subordinated debt securities may not be redeemed prior to their stated maturity without the requisite prior approvals, if any, from applicable regulators.

Notice of Redemption

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we may exercise our right to redeem debt securities by giving notice to the holders under the applicable indenture at least 5 business days but not more than 60 calendar days before the specified redemption date. The notice will specify:

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Such redemption may be subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, in which case the notice of redemption will describe each condition and, if applicable, state that the redemption date may, in our discretion, be delayed until such time as any or all conditions have been satisfied, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all of the conditions have not been satisfied by the redemption date stated in the notice of redemption, or by the redemption date as it may be delayed in our discretion.

If notice of redemption has been given in accordance with the applicable indenture, the debt securities being redeemed shall, subject to the satisfaction of any conditions to the redemption as specified in the notice of redemption, become due and payable on the date fixed for redemption.

So long as a depository is the record holder of the applicable debt securities to be redeemed, we, or the trustee on our behalf if we so request, will deliver any notice of our election to exercise our redemption right only to that depository.

Repayment

The applicable supplement will indicate whether the debt securities can be repaid at the holder’s option prior to their stated maturity. If the debt securities may be repaid prior to their stated maturity, the applicable supplement will indicate the applicable repayment price or prices, the procedures for repayment and the date or dates on or after which the holder can request repayment.

Repurchase

We may purchase at any time and from time to time, including through a subsidiary or affiliate of ours, outstanding debt securities by tender, in the open market, or by private agreement. The repurchase of any debt security that is our eligible LTD will require the prior approval of the Federal Reserve if after such repurchase we would fail to satisfy our requirements as to eligible LTD or total loss-absorbing capacity under the TLAC Rules. We, or our affiliates, have the discretion to hold or resell any repurchased debt securities. We also have the discretion to cancel any repurchased debt securities.

Conversion

We may issue debt securities that are convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, at either our option or the holder’s option or otherwise as provided in the applicable supplement, our

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preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock, or other debt securities. The applicable supplement will describe the terms of any conversion, exercise, or exchange features, including:

Exchange, Registration, and Transfer

Subject to the terms of the applicable indenture, debt securities of any series in definitive form may be exchanged at the option of the holder for other debt securities of the same series and of an equal aggregate principal amount and type in any authorized denominations.

Debt securities in definitive form may be presented for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent that we designate and maintain. The security registrar or the transfer agent will make the registration of transfer only if it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. There will not be a service charge for any exchange or registration of transfer of debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with the exchange or transfer. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, initially, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. will be the authenticating agent, security registrar, and transfer agent for the debt securities issued under the respective indentures. We may change the security registrar or the transfer agent or approve a change in the location through which any security registrar or transfer agent acts at any time, in each case without your consent and without notifying you of such event. We will be required to maintain a security registrar and transfer agent in each place of payment for each series of debt securities. At any time, we may designate additional transfer agents for any series of debt securities.

We will not be required to (1) issue, exchange, or register the transfer of any debt security of any series to be redeemed for a period of 15 days before the date on which we deliver the notice of redemption or (2) exchange or register the transfer of any debt security (i) that was selected, called, or is being called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part or (ii) as to which the holder has exercised any right to require us to repay such debt security, except the portion to remain outstanding of any debt security being repaid in part.

For a discussion of restrictions on the exchange, registration, and transfer of book-entry only securities, see “Registration and Settlement” below.

Subordination

Our subordinated debt securities are subordinated and junior in right of payment to all of our “senior indebtedness.” The Subordinated Indenture defines “senior indebtedness” as any indebtedness for money borrowed, including all of our indebtedness for borrowed and purchased money, all of our obligations arising from off-balance sheet guarantees and direct credit substitutes, and our obligations associated with derivative products such as interest and foreign exchange rate contracts and commodity contracts, that was outstanding on the date we executed the Subordinated Indenture, or was created, incurred, or assumed after that date, for which we are

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responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor, or otherwise, and all deferrals, renewals, extensions, and refundings of that indebtedness or obligations, other than the debt securities issued under the Subordinated Indenture or any other indebtedness that by its terms is subordinate in right of payment to any of our other indebtedness. Each supplement for a series of subordinated debt securities will indicate the aggregate amount of our senior indebtedness outstanding, as of the most recent practicable date, and any limitation on the issuance of additional senior indebtedness. As of June 30, 2021, on a non-consolidated basis, we had approximately $221 billion of senior long-term debt and certain senior short-term borrowings. Senior indebtedness also includes our obligations under letters of credit, guarantees, foreign exchange contracts and interest rate swap contracts, none of which are included in such amount. In addition, holders of subordinated debt securities may be fully subordinated to interests held by the U.S. government in the event that we enter into a receivership, insolvency, liquidation or similar proceeding.

If there is a default or event of default under any senior indebtedness that would allow acceleration of maturity of that senior indebtedness and that default or event of default is not remedied, and we and the trustee of the Subordinated Indenture receive notice of this default from the holders of at least 10% in principal amount of any kind or category of any senior indebtedness or if the trustee of the Subordinated Indenture receives notice from us, then we will not be able to make any principal, premium, interest, or other payments on the subordinated debt securities or repurchase our subordinated debt securities.

If any subordinated debt security is declared due and payable before the stated maturity (or other date for payment of principal) upon a payment or distribution of our assets to creditors pursuant to our dissolution, winding up, liquidation, or reorganization, whether voluntary or involuntary, we are required to pay all principal and any premium, interest, or other payments to holders of senior indebtedness before any holders of subordinated debt are paid. In addition, if any amounts previously were paid to the holders of our subordinated debt securities or the trustee under the Subordinated Indenture, the holders of senior indebtedness will have first rights to the amounts previously paid.

Subject to the payment in full of all our senior indebtedness, the holders of our subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of our senior indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of our assets applicable to the senior indebtedness until our subordinated debt securities are paid in full. For purposes of this subrogation, the subordinated debt securities will be subrogated equally and ratably with all our other indebtedness that by its terms ranks equally with our subordinated debt securities and is entitled to like rights of subrogation.

Due to differing subordination provisions in various series of subordinated debt securities issued by us and our predecessors, in the event of a dissolution, winding up, liquidation, reorganization, insolvency, receivership or other proceeding, holders of subordinated debt securities may receive more or less, ratably, than holders of some other series of our outstanding subordinated debt securities.

Sale or Issuance of Capital Stock of Banks

The Senior Indenture prohibits the issuance, sale, or other disposition of capital stock, or securities convertible into or options, warrants, or rights to acquire capital stock, of any Principal Subsidiary Bank (as defined below) or of any subsidiary which owns shares of capital stock, or securities convertible into or options, warrants, or rights to acquire capital stock, of any Principal Subsidiary Bank, with the following exceptions:

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A “Principal Subsidiary Bank” is defined in the Senior Indenture as any subsidiary bank with total assets equal to more than 10% of our total consolidated assets. As of the date of this prospectus, Bank of America, N.A. is our only Principal Subsidiary Bank.

Limitation on Mergers and Sales of Assets

Each indenture generally permits a consolidation or merger between us and another entity, subject to certain requirements. It also permits the sale, conveyance or transfer by us of all or substantially all of our assets, subject to certain requirements. These transactions are permitted if:

The foregoing requirements do not apply in the case of a sale, conveyance or transfer by us of all or substantially all of our assets to one or more entities that are direct or indirect subsidiaries in which we and/or one or more of our subsidiaries own more than 50% of the combined voting power.

Upon any consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or transfer of this kind (other than, where permitted as described above, a sale, conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of our assets to our direct or indirect subsidiary or subsidiaries in which we own more than 50% of the combined voting power as described in the preceding paragraph), the resulting or acquiring entity will be substituted for us in the applicable indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to that indenture. As a result, the successor entity may exercise our rights and powers under that indenture.

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Waiver of Covenants

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of all affected series then outstanding under an indenture may waive compliance with some of the covenants or conditions of that indenture.

Modification of the Indentures

We and the trustee may modify the applicable indenture and the rights of the holders of the debt securities with the consent of the holders of at least 50% of the aggregate principal amount of all series of outstanding debt securities under that indenture affected by the modification.

No modification may extend the fixed maturity of, reduce the principal amount or redemption premium of, or reduce the rate of interest, or extend the time of payment of interest or other amounts due, on any debt security without the consent of each holder affected by the modification. No modification may reduce the percentage of debt securities that is required to consent to modification of an indenture without the consent of all holders of the debt securities outstanding under that indenture.

In addition, we and the trustee may execute supplemental indentures in some circumstances without the consent of any holders of outstanding debt securities.

For purposes of determining the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities outstanding at any time in connection with any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver under the applicable indenture, (1) the principal amount of any debt security issued with original issue discount is that amount of principal that would be due and payable at that time upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the original issue discount note, and (2) the principal amount of a debt security denominated in a foreign currency or currency unit is the U.S. dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of the debt security, determined as specified in the applicable supplement for that debt security.

Meetings and Action by Securityholders

The trustee may call a meeting in its discretion, or upon request by us or the holders of at least 10% in principal amount of a series of outstanding debt securities, by giving notice. If a meeting of holders is duly held, any resolution raised or decision taken in accordance with the indenture will be binding on all holders of debt securities of that series.

Events of Default and Rights of Acceleration; Covenant Breaches

The Senior Indenture defines an event of default for a series of senior debt securities as any one of the following events:

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The Subordinated Indenture defines an event of default for subordinated debt securities only as our voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy under U.S. federal bankruptcy laws (and, in the case of our involuntary bankruptcy, continuing for a period of 60 days) and any other events of default specified for a series of subordinated debt securities pursuant to the Subordinated Indenture.

Any additional or different events of default for a series of senior or subordinated debt securities will be specified in the applicable supplement.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable supplement, if an event of default under an indenture occurs and is continuing, either the trustee or the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities outstanding under the applicable indenture (or, in the case of an event of default with respect to a series of senior debt securities under the Senior Indenture, the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of all series affected) may declare the principal amount, or, if the debt securities are issued with original issue discount, such amount as described in the applicable supplement, of all debt securities (or the outstanding senior debt securities of all series affected, as the case may be) to be due and payable immediately. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities then outstanding (or of all series affected, as the case may be), in some circumstances, may annul the declaration of acceleration and waive past defaults.

With respect to a failure on our part to observe or perform any of the covenants or agreements contained in the debt securities or in the applicable indenture (other than (i) with respect to senior debt securities, those for which acceleration rights are available as discussed above and (ii) with respect to subordinated debt securities, default in payment of principal or interest), which failure continues for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure is given (a “covenant breach”), the trustee and the holders of the debt securities may pursue certain remedies as described below or as set forth in the applicable indenture.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable supplement, an event of default will not occur under our senior debt securities, and neither the trustee nor the holders of any senior debt securities will have the right to accelerate the payment of principal of such senior debt securities, as a result of a covenant breach. In addition, an event of default will not occur, and neither the trustee nor the holders of such senior debt securities will have the right to accelerate the payment of principal of such senior debt securities, as a result of our failure to pay principal of or premium on such senior debt securities when due and payable until such default has continued for a period of 30 days.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable supplement, payment of principal of the subordinated debt securities may not be accelerated in the case of a default in the payment of principal or any premium, interest, or other amounts or a breach in the performance of any of our other covenants.

We are required periodically to file with the trustees a certificate stating that we are not in default under any of the terms of the indentures.

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

If (i) we fail to pay the principal of or any premium on any debt securities or (ii) we are over 30 calendar days late on an interest payment on the debt securities, the applicable trustee can demand that we pay to it, for the benefit of the holders of those debt securities, the amount which is due and payable on those debt securities, including any interest incurred because of our failure to make that payment. In the event of our nonpayment of principal, interest or any premium (which nonpayment for senior debt securities constitutes an event of default) or a covenant breach, the trustee may take appropriate action, including instituting judicial proceedings against us.

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In addition, a holder of our debt securities also may file suit to enforce our obligation to make payment of principal and any premium, interest, or other amounts payable on such debt securities regardless of the actions taken by the trustee.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of each series of the debt securities then outstanding under an indenture may direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee under that indenture. The trustee may decline to act if the direction is contrary to law and in certain other circumstances set forth in the applicable indenture. The trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable indenture at the request or direction of the holders of the debt securities unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable indemnity against expenses and liabilities.

Limitation on Suits

Each indenture provides that no individual holder of debt securities of any series may institute any action against us under that indenture, except actions for payment of overdue principal and interest, unless the following actions have occurred:

However, the holder of any senior debt securities will have an absolute right to receive payment of principal of and any premium and interest on the senior debt security when due and to institute suit to enforce this payment, and the holder of any subordinated debt securities will have, subject to applicable subordination provisions, the absolute right to receive payment of principal of and any premium and any interest on the subordinated debt security when due and to institute suit to enforce this payment.

Payment of Additional Amounts

If we so specify in the applicable supplement, and subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth below, we will pay to the holder of any debt security that is a “non-U.S. person” additional amounts to ensure that every net payment on that debt security will not be less, due to the payment of U.S. withholding tax, than the amount then otherwise due and payable. For this purpose, a “net payment” on a debt security means a payment by us or any paying agent, including payment of principal and interest, after deduction for any present or future tax, assessment, or other governmental charge of the United States (other than a territory or possession). These additional amounts will constitute additional interest on the debt security. For this purpose, U.S. withholding tax means a withholding tax of the United States, other than a territory or possession.

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However, notwithstanding our obligation, if so specified, to pay additional amounts, we will not be required to pay additional amounts in any of the circumstances described in items (1) through (15) below, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement.

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For purposes of items (1) through (5) above, “beneficial owner” includes, without limitation, a holder and a fiduciary, settlor, partner, member, shareholder, or beneficiary of the holder if the holder is an estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or other entity, or a person holding a power over an estate or trust administered by a fiduciary holder.

However, this exception to the obligation to pay additional amounts will apply only to the extent that a beneficiary or settlor in relation to the fiduciary, or a beneficial owner, partner, or member of the partnership, limited liability company, or other fiscally transparent entity, would not have been entitled to the payment of an additional amount had the beneficiary, settlor, beneficial owner, partner, or member received directly its beneficial or distributive share of the payment.

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Except as specifically provided in this section, we will not be required to make any payment of any tax, assessment, or other governmental charge imposed by any government, political subdivision, or taxing authority of that government.

For purposes of determining whether the payment of additional amounts is required, the term “U.S. person” means any individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; any corporation, partnership, or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States; any estate if the income of such estate falls within the federal income tax jurisdiction of the United States regardless of the source of that income; and any trust if a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the

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authority to control all of the substantial decisions of the trust. Additionally, for this purpose, “non-U.S. person” means a person who is not a U.S. person, and “United States” means the United States of America, including each state of the United States and the District of Columbia, its territories, its possessions, and other areas within its jurisdiction.

Redemption for Tax Reasons

If we so specify in the applicable supplement, we may redeem the debt securities in whole, but not in part, at any time before maturity, if we have or will become obligated to pay additional amounts, as described above under “—Payment of Additional Amounts,” as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws or regulations of the United States or any political subdivision or any authority of the United States having power to tax, or any change in the application or official interpretation of such laws or regulations, which change or amendment becomes effective on or after the date of the applicable supplement for the issuance of those debt securities. If we exercise such right to redeem the debt securities, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, we will give not less than 5 business days’ nor more than 60 calendar days’ notice to the trustee under the applicable indenture and to the holders of the debt securities.

In connection with any notice of redemption for tax reasons, we will deliver to the trustee under the indenture any required certificate, request, or order.

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, any debt securities redeemed for tax reasons will be redeemed at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such debt securities, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

If we so specify in the applicable supplement, the provisions for full defeasance and covenant defeasance described below will apply to the debt securities of a series if certain conditions are satisfied.

Full Defeasance

If there is a change in the U.S. federal income tax law, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the debt securities of a series. This is called full defeasance. For us to do so, each of the following must occur:

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If we ever fully defeased your debt security, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for payments on your debt security.

Covenant Defeasance

Under current U.S. federal income tax law, we can make the same type of deposit described above and be released from restrictive covenants relating to your debt security. This is called covenant defeasance. In that event, you would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants. In order to achieve covenant defeasance for a series of debt securities, we must do both of the following:

If we achieve covenant defeasance with respect to your debt security, you can still look to us for repayment of your debt security in the event of any shortfall in the trust deposit. You should note, however, that if one of the remaining events of default occurred, such as our bankruptcy, and your debt security became immediately due and payable, there may be a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall.

Satisfaction and Discharge of the Indenture

The indenture under which a series of debt securities has been issued will cease to be of further effect with respect to the debt securities of such series, if at any time:

The trustee, on our demand, accompanied by an officer’s certificate of ours and an opinion of counsel and at our cost and expense, will execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging the applicable indenture with respect to such debt securities.

Notices

We or the trustee on our behalf, if so requested, will provide the holders with any required notices by first-class mail to the addresses of the holders as they appear in the security register. So long as a depository is the record holder of a series of debt securities with respect to which a notice is given, we or the trustee, if so requested, will deliver the notice only to that depository in accordance with the procedures of that depository then in place.

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Concerning the Trustee

We and certain of our affiliates have from time to time maintained deposit accounts and conducted other banking transactions with The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business. We expect to continue these business transactions. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. is initially serving as the trustee for the debt securities issued under the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. and its affiliates also serve as trustee for a number of series of outstanding indebtedness of us and our affiliates under other indentures. Consequently, if an actual or potential event of default occurs with respect to any of these securities, the trustee may be considered to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. In that case, the trustee may be required to resign under one or more of the indentures, and we would be required to appoint a successor trustee. For this purpose, a “potential” event of default means an event that would be an event of default if the requirements for giving us default notice or for the default having to exist for a specific period of time were disregarded. In addition, the trustee can resign for any reason by giving at least 30 calendar days’ written notice of resignation, and we would be required to appoint a successor trustee. The trustee will remain the trustee under the applicable indenture until a successor is appointed.

Governing Law

The indentures are and the debt securities will be governed by New York law.

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

General

The warrants are options that are securities within the meaning of Section 2(a)(17) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

We may issue warrants, including securities warrants, index warrants and currency warrants. We may offer warrants separately or as part of a unit, as described below under the heading “Description of Units.” If we issue warrants as part of a unit, the applicable supplement will specify whether those warrants may be separated from the other securities in the unit prior to the warrants’ expiration date. Universal warrants issued in the United States may not be so separated prior to the 91st day after the issuance of the unit, unless otherwise specified in the applicable supplement.

We may issue warrants in any amounts or in as many distinct series as we determine. We will issue each series of warrants under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent to be designated in the applicable supplement. When we refer to a series of warrants, we mean all warrants issued as part of the same series under the applicable warrant agreement.

Any warrants that we issue will contain, to the extent required, contractual provisions required to comply with the “Restrictions on Qualified Financial Contracts of Systemically Important U.S. Banking Organizations and the U.S. Operations of Systemically Important Foreign Banking Organizations; Revisions to the Definition of Qualifying Master Netting Agreement and Related Definitions” as issued by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and other applicable law.

This section describes some of the general terms and provisions of warrants. We will describe the specific terms of a series of warrants and the applicable warrant agreement in the applicable supplement. The following description and any description of the warrants in the applicable supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the applicable warrant agreement. A warrant agreement reflecting the particular terms and provisions of a series of offered warrants will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering and incorporated by reference in the registration statement and this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below for information on how to obtain copies of any warrant agreements.

Description of Securities Warrants

We may issue warrants for the purchase of our debt securities, common stock or preferred stock. We refer to this type of warrant as a “securities warrant.” If securities warrants are offered, the applicable supplement will describe the terms of the securities warrants and the warrant agreement relating to the securities warrants, including the following:

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Description of Index Warrants

We may issue warrants entitling the holders thereof to receive from us, upon exercise, an amount in cash determined by reference to decreases or increases in the level of a specific index or in the levels (or relative levels) of two or more indices or combinations of indices, which index or indices may be based on one or more stocks, bonds or other securities, one or more currencies or currency units, or any combination of the foregoing, provided that any warrants that are based, in whole or in part, on one or more currency indices will be listed on a national securities exchange. We refer to this type of warrant as an “index warrant.”

Description of Currency Warrants

We may also issue warrants entitling the holders thereof to receive from us, upon exercise, an amount in cash determined by reference to decreases or increases in the price or level (or relative price, level or exchange rate) of specified amounts of one or more currencies or currency units, provided that these warrants will be listed on a national securities exchange. We refer to this type of warrant as a “currency warrant.”

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Modification

We and the warrant agent may amend the terms of any warrant agreement and the warrants without the consent of the holders of the warrants to cure any ambiguity, to correct any inconsistent provision, or in any other manner we deem necessary or desirable and which will not affect adversely the interests of the holders. In addition, we may amend the warrant agreement and the terms of the warrants with the consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding unexercised warrants affected. However, any modification to the warrants cannot change the exercise price, reduce the amounts receivable upon exercise, cancellation, or expiration, shorten the time period during which the warrants may be exercised, or otherwise materially and adversely affect the rights of the holders of the warrants or reduce the percentage of outstanding warrants required to modify or amend the warrant agreement or the terms of the warrants, without the consent of the affected holders.

Enforceability of Rights of Warrantholders; No Trust Indenture Act Protection

The warrant agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with the holders of the warrants. Any record holder or beneficial owner of a warrant, without anyone else’s consent, may enforce by appropriate legal action, on his or her own behalf, his or her right to exercise the warrant in accordance with its terms. A holder of a warrant will not be entitled to any of the rights of a holder of the debt securities or other securities or warrant property purchasable upon the exercise of the warrant, including any right to receive payments on those securities or warrant property or to enforce any covenants or rights in the relevant indenture or any other agreement, before exercising the warrant.

No warrant agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no warrant agent under any warrant agreement will be required to qualify as a trustee, under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Therefore, holders of warrants issued under a warrant agreement will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to their warrants.

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DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

General

We may issue purchase contracts in any amounts and in as many distinct series as we determine. We may offer purchase contracts separately or as part of a unit, as described below under the heading “Description of Units.” When we refer to a series of purchase contracts, we mean all purchase contracts issued as part of the same series under the applicable purchase contract.

Any purchase contracts that we issue will contain, to the extent required, contractual provisions required to comply with the “Restrictions on Qualified Financial Contracts of Systemically Important U.S. Banking Organizations and the U.S. Operations of Systemically Important Foreign Banking Organizations; Revisions to the Definition of Qualifying Master Netting Agreement and Related Definitions” as issued by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and other applicable law.

This section describes some of the general terms and provisions applicable to all purchase contracts. We will describe the specific terms of a series of purchase contracts in the applicable supplement. The following description and any description of the purchase contracts in the applicable supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the applicable purchase contract. A purchase contract reflecting the particular terms and provisions of a series of offered purchase contracts will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering and incorporated by reference in the registration statement and this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below for information on how to obtain copies of any purchase contracts.

Purchase Contract Property

We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of, or whose cash value is determined by reference to the performance, level, or value of securities, including our common or preferred stock or our other securities described in this prospectus, a basket of securities or any combination of the foregoing. We refer to each type of property described above as a “purchase contract property.”

Each purchase contract will obligate:

No holder of a purchase contract will, as such, have any rights of a holder of the purchase contract property purchasable under or referenced in the contract, including any rights to receive payments on that property.

Information in Supplement

If we offer purchase contracts, the applicable supplement will describe the terms of the purchase contracts, including the following:

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Prepaid Purchase Contracts; Applicability of Indenture

Purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations under the purchase contracts at the time they are issued. We refer to these contracts as “prepaid purchase contracts.”

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In certain circumstances, our obligation to settle a prepaid purchase contract on the relevant settlement date may constitute our senior debt securities or our subordinated debt securities. Accordingly, prepaid purchase contracts may be issued under the indentures, which are described above under the heading “Description of Debt Securities.”

Non-Prepaid Purchase Contracts; No Trust Indenture Act Protection

Some purchase contracts do not require holders to satisfy their obligations under the purchase contracts until settlement. We refer to these contracts as “non-prepaid purchase contracts.” The holder of a non-prepaid purchase contract may remain obligated to perform under the contract for a substantial period of time.

Non-prepaid purchase contracts will be issued under a unit agreement, if they are issued in units, or under some other document, if they are not. We describe unit agreements generally under the heading “Description of Units” below. We will describe the particular governing document that applies to your non-prepaid purchase contracts in the applicable supplement.

Non-prepaid purchase contracts will not be our senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and will not be issued under one of our indentures, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement. Consequently, no governing documents for non-prepaid purchase contracts will be qualified as indentures, and no third party will be required to qualify as a trustee with regard to those contracts, under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Therefore, holders of non-prepaid purchase contracts will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Pledge by Holders to Secure Performance

If we so specify in the applicable supplement, the holder’s obligations under the purchase contract and governing document will be secured by collateral. In that case, the holder, acting through the unit agent as its attorney-in-fact, if applicable, will pledge the items described below to a collateral agent that we will identify in the applicable supplement, which will hold them, for our benefit, as collateral to secure the holder’s obligations. We refer to this as the “pledge” and all the items described below as the “pledged items.” Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, the pledge will create a security interest in the holder’s entire interest in and to:

The collateral agent will forward all payments and proceeds from the pledged items to us, unless the payments and proceeds have been released from the pledge in accordance with the purchase contract and the governing document. We will use the payments and proceeds from the pledged items to satisfy the holder’s obligations under the purchase contract.

Settlement of Purchase Contracts that Are Part of Units

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, where purchase contracts issued together with debt securities as part of a unit require the holders to buy purchase contract

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property, the unit agent may apply principal payments from the debt securities in satisfaction of the holders’ obligations under the related purchase contract as specified in the applicable supplement. The unit agent will not so apply the principal payments if the holder has delivered cash to meet its obligations under the purchase contract. If the holder is permitted to settle its obligations by cash payment, the holder may be permitted to do so by delivering the debt securities in the unit to the unit agent as provided in the governing document. If the holder settles its obligations in cash rather than by delivering the debt security that is part of the unit, that debt security will remain outstanding, if the maturity extends beyond the relevant settlement date and, as more fully described in the applicable supplement, the holder will receive that debt security or an interest in the relevant global debt security.

Book-entry and other indirect owners should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to settle their purchase contracts.

Failure of Holder to Perform Obligations

If the holder fails to settle its obligations under a non-prepaid purchase contract as required, the holder will not receive the purchase contract property or other consideration to be delivered at settlement. Holders that fail to make timely settlement also may be obligated to pay interest or other amounts.

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

General

We may issue units from time to time in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we determine.

We will issue each series of units under a unit agreement to be entered into between us and a unit agent to be designated in the applicable supplement. When we refer to a series of units, we mean all units issued as part of the same series under the applicable unit agreement.

Any units that we issue will contain, to the extent required, contractual provisions required to comply with the “Restrictions on Qualified Financial Contracts of Systemically Important U.S. Banking Organizations and the U.S. Operations of Systemically Important Foreign Banking Organizations; Revisions to the Definition of Qualifying Master Netting Agreement and Related Definitions” as issued by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and other applicable law.

This section describes some of the general terms and provisions applicable to all the units. We will describe the specific terms of a series of units and the applicable unit agreement in the applicable supplement. The following description and any description of the units in the applicable supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the applicable unit agreement. A unit agreement reflecting the particular terms and provisions of a series of offered units will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering and incorporated by reference in the registration statement and this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below for information on how to obtain copies of any unit agreements.

We may issue units consisting of one or more securities described in this prospectus or, in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

If units are offered, the applicable supplement will describe the terms of the units, including the following:

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Unit Agreements: Prepaid, Non-Prepaid, and Other

If a unit includes one or more purchase contracts, and all those purchase contracts are prepaid purchase contracts, we will issue the unit under a “prepaid unit agreement.” Prepaid unit agreements will reflect the fact that the holders of the related units have no further obligations under the purchase contracts included in their units. If a unit includes one or more non-prepaid purchase contracts, we will issue the unit under a “non-prepaid unit agreement.” Non-prepaid unit agreements will reflect the fact that the holders have payment or other obligations under one or more of the purchase contracts comprising their units. We may also issue units under other kinds of unit agreements, which will be described in the applicable supplement, if applicable.

Each holder of units issued under a non-prepaid unit agreement will:

Any unit agreement for a unit that includes a non-prepaid purchase contract also will include provisions regarding the holder’s pledge of collateral and special settlement provisions. These are described above under the heading “Description of Purchase Contracts.”

A unit agreement also may serve as the governing document for a security included in a unit. For example, a non-prepaid purchase contract that is part of a unit may be issued under and governed by the relevant unit agreement.

Modification

We and the unit agent may amend the terms of any unit agreement and the units without the consent of the holders to cure any ambiguity, to correct any inconsistent provision, or in any other manner we deem necessary or desirable and which will not affect adversely the interests of the holders. In addition, we may amend the unit agreement and the terms of the units with the consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding unexpired units affected. However, any modification to the units that materially and adversely affects the rights of the holders of the units, or reduces the percentage of outstanding units required to modify or amend the unit agreement or the terms of the units, requires the consent of the affected holders.

Enforceability of Rights of Unitholders; No Trust Indenture Act Protection

The unit agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with the holders of the units. Except as described below, any record holder of a unit, without anyone else’s consent, may enforce his or her rights as holder under any security included in the unit, in accordance with the terms of the included security and the indenture, warrant agreement, unit agreement, or purchase contract under which that security is issued. We describe these terms in other sections of this prospectus relating to debt securities, warrants, and purchase contracts.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a unit agreement may limit or otherwise affect the ability of a holder of units issued under that agreement to enforce his or her rights, including any right to

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bring legal action, with respect to those units or any included securities, other than debt securities. We will describe any limitations of this kind in the applicable supplement.

No unit agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no unit agent will be required to qualify as a trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Therefore, holders of units issued under a unit agreement will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to their units.

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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

General

We may issue preferred stock in one or more series, each with the preferences, designations, limitations, conversion rights, and other rights as we may determine. As of the date of this prospectus, under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we have authority to issue 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share. As of July 30, 2021, we had approximately 3.9 million issued and outstanding shares of preferred stock and the aggregate liquidation preference of all of our outstanding preferred stock was approximately $23.7 billion.

Any preferred stock sold using this prospectus will have the general dividend, voting, and liquidation preference rights stated below unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement. The applicable supplement for a series of preferred stock will describe the specific terms of those shares, including, where applicable:

Shares of our preferred stock will be uncertificated unless our board of directors by resolution determines otherwise. Shares represented by an existing certificate will remain certificated until such certificate is surrendered to us.

This section summarizes the general terms and provisions of our preferred stock. You also should refer to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the respective certificates of

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designations for each series of our preferred stock. We have filed our Restated Certificate of Incorporation as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and we will file with the SEC the certificate of designations with respect to the particular series of preferred stock being offered promptly after the offering of that series of preferred stock.

Dividends

The holders of our preferred stock will be entitled to receive when, as, and if declared by our board of directors, cash dividends at those rates as will be fixed by our board of directors, subject to the terms of our Restated Certificate of Incorporation. All dividends will be paid out of funds that are legally available for this purpose. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, whenever dividends on any non-voting preferred stock are in arrears for three or more semi-annual dividend periods or six quarterly dividend periods, as applicable (whether or not consecutive), holders of the non-voting preferred stock will have the right to elect two additional directors to serve on our board of directors, and these two additional directors will continue to serve until full dividends on such non-voting preferred stock have been paid regularly for at least two semi-annual or four quarterly dividend periods.

Voting

The holders of our preferred stock will have no voting rights except:

Under regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve, if the holders of any series of our preferred stock become entitled to vote for the election of directors because dividends on that series are in arrears, that series may then be deemed a “class of voting securities.” In such a case, a holder of 25% or more of the series, or a holder of such lower amount of the series as may be deemed, when coupled with other factors, to constitute a “controlling influence” over us, may then be subject to regulation as a bank holding company in accordance with The Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. In addition, (1) any other bank holding company may be required to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve to acquire or retain 5% or more of that series, and (2) any person other than a bank holding company may be required to obtain the approval of the Federal Reserve to acquire or retain 10% or more of that series.

Liquidation Preference

In the event of our voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, the holders of any series of our preferred stock will be entitled to receive, after distributions to holders of any series or class of our capital stock ranking superior, an amount equal to the stated or liquidation value of the shares of the series plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends. If the assets and funds to be distributed among the holders of our preferred stock will be insufficient to permit full payment to the holders, then the holders of our preferred stock will share ratably in any distribution of our assets in proportion to the amounts that they otherwise would receive on their shares of our preferred stock if the shares were paid in full. In addition, holders of our preferred stock, or depositary shares representing interests in our preferred stock, may be fully subordinated to interests held by the U.S. government in the event that we enter into a receivership, insolvency, liquidation or similar proceeding.

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Preemptive Rights

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable supplement, holders of our preferred stock will not have any preemptive rights.

Existing Preferred Stock

As of the date of this prospectus, under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we have authority to issue 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share. As of July 30, 2021, we had approximately 3.9 million issued and outstanding shares of preferred stock and the aggregate liquidation preference of all of our outstanding preferred stock was approximately $23.7 billion. Of our authorized and outstanding preferred stock, as of July 30, 2021:

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In addition, as of the date of this prospectus, the following series of preferred stock were designated, but no shares of any of these series were outstanding: