Subject: File No. S7-25-99
From: Richard H. Ivester, CFP
Affiliation: Financial Planner

September 8, 2004

Please rescind the Merrill Lynch Rule in its entirety. Why shoud my competitor down the street with a large wirehouse be able to offer the same services as I do but without the registration and fiduciary responsibility? This rule creates a double standard that benefits the large wirehouses at the expense of the consumer.