Units  $10 principal amount per unit CUSIP No.		Pricing Date* Settlement Date* Maturity Date*		December    , 2024 December    , 2024 February    , 2026
		*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “pricing date”)
Accelerated Return Notes® Linked to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF   § Maturity of approximately 14 months   § 3-to-1 upside exposure to increases in the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (the “Market Measure”), subject to a capped return of [16.50% to 20.50%]   § 1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Market Measure, with 100% of your principal at risk   § All payments occur at maturity and are subject to the credit risk of Royal Bank of Canada.   § No periodic interest payments   § In addition to the underwriting discount set forth below, the notes include a hedging-related charge of $0.05 per unit. See “Structuring the Notes.”   § Limited secondary market liquidity, with no exchange listing   § The notes are unsecured debt securities and are not savings accounts or insured deposits of a bank. The notes are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any other governmental agency of Canada or the United States.

The notes are being issued by Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and certain additional costs. See “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

The initial estimated value of the notes as of the pricing date is expected to be between $9.30 and $9.80 per unit, which is less than the public offering price listed below. See “Summary” on the following page, “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Structuring the Notes” below for additional information. The actual value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.

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

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The notes:

BofA Securities

December , 2024

Summary

The Accelerated Return Notes^® Linked to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, due February , 2026 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of RBC.

The notes are not bail-inable notes (as defined in the prospectus supplement). The notes provide you a leveraged return, subject to a cap, if the Ending Value of the Market Measure, which is the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (the “Market Measure”), is greater than the Starting Value. If the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value, you will lose all or a portion of the principal amount of your notes. Any payments on the notes will be calculated based on the $10 principal amount per unit and will depend on the performance of the Market Measure, subject to our credit risk. See “Terms of the Notes” below.

The economic terms of the notes (including the Capped Value) are based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate we pay to borrow funds through the issuance of market-linked notes, and the economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements. Our internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the hedging-related charge described below, reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market. Due to these factors, the public offering price you pay to purchase the notes will be greater than the initial estimated value of the notes.

On the cover page of this term sheet, we have provided the initial estimated value range for the notes. This initial estimated value range was determined based on our and our affiliates’ pricing models, which take into consideration our internal funding rate and the market prices for the hedging arrangements related to the notes. The initial estimated value of the notes calculated on the pricing date will be set forth in the final term sheet made available to investors in the notes. For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Structuring the Notes” below.

Terms of the Notes		Redemption Amount Determination
Issuer:	Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”)	On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows:
Principal Amount:	$10.00 per unit
Term:	Approximately 14 months
Market Measure:	The Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (Bloomberg symbol: “BOTZ”)
Starting Value:	The Closing Market Price of the Market Measure on the pricing date
Ending Value:	The average of the Closing Market Prices of the Market Measure times the Price Multiplier on each calculation day occurring during the Maturity Valuation Period. The scheduled calculation days are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described beginning on page PS-23 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.
Price Multiplier:	1, subject to adjustment for certain events relating to the Market Measure, as described beginning on page PS-27 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1
Participation Rate:	300%
Capped Value:	[$11.65 to $12.05] per unit, which represents a return of [16.50% to 20.50%] over the principal amount. The actual Capped Value will be determined on the pricing date.
Maturity Valuation Period:	Five scheduled calculation days shortly before the maturity date
Fees and Charges:	The underwriting discount of $0.175 per unit listed on the cover page and a hedging-related charge of $0.05 per unit described in “Structuring the Notes” below.
Calculation Agent:	BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”)

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:

These documents (together, the “Note Prospectus”) have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated above or obtained from us, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) or BofAS by calling 1-800-294-1322. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC for information about us and this offering. Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this term sheet to “Royal Bank of Canada,” the “Bank,” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar references mean only RBC.

“Accelerated Return Notes^®” and “ARNs^®” are the registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS.

Investor Considerations

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

Hypothetical Payout Profile and Examples of Payments at Maturity

The graph below is based on hypothetical numbers and values.

The following table and examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. They illustrate the calculation of the Redemption Amount and total rate of return based on a hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00, the Participation Rate of 300%, a hypothetical Capped Value of $11.85 per unit and a range of hypothetical Ending Values. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Ending Value and Capped Value, and whether you hold the notes to maturity. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.

For recent actual prices of the Market Measure, see “The Market Measure” section below. The Ending Value will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the Market Measure, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in the Market Measure directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.

Redemption Amount Calculation Examples:

Risk Factors

There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security. An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1, page S-3 of the MTN prospectus supplement, and page 1 of the prospectus identified above. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

Structure-related Risks

Valuation- and Market-related Risks

Conflict-related Risks

Market Measure-related Risks

Tax-related Risks

Additional Risk Factors

The securities held by the Market Measure are concentrated in one sector. As a result, the securities that will determine the performance of the notes are concentrated in one sector. Although an investment in the notes will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the securities held by the Market Measure, the return on the notes will be subject to certain risks similar to those associated with direct equity investments in the robotics and artificial intelligence industry. Accordingly, by investing in the notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.

A limited number of stocks held by the Market Measure may affect its price, and the stocks held by the Market Measure are not necessarily representative of the robotics and artificial intelligence industry. While the securities held by the Market Measure are common stocks of companies generally considered to be involved in various segments of the robotics and artificial intelligence industry, the securities held by the Market Measure may not follow the price movements of the entire robotics and artificial intelligence industry generally. As of the date of this term sheet, a small number of securities accounted for more than half of the Market Measure’s holdings. If these securities decline in value, the Market Measure will likely decline in value even if security prices in the robotics and artificial intelligence industry generally increase in value.

An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with the robotics and artificial intelligence industries. All or substantially all of the equity securities held by the Market Measure are issued by companies who have significant exposure to the robotics and artificial intelligence industries. As a result, the value of the notes may be subject to greater volatility and may be more adversely affected by a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting these industries than a different investment linked to securities of a more broadly diversified group of issuers. These companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel, while engaging in significant amounts of spending on research and development. Robotics and artificial intelligence companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. In addition, robotics and artificial intelligence technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. These companies face increased risk from trade agreements between countries that develop these technologies and countries in which customers of these technologies are based. Lack of resolution or potential imposition of trade tariffs may hinder the companies’ ability to successfully deploy their inventories. The customers and/or suppliers of these companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on these companies. These factors could adversely affect the robotics and artificial intelligence industry and could affect the value of the equity securities held by the Market Measure and the price of the Market Measure during the term of the notes, which may adversely affect the value of your notes.

The Market Measure

All information contained in this term sheet regarding the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (the “BOTZ”) has been derived from publicly available information, without independent verification. This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, Global X Funds (the “Global X Trust”) and Global X Management Company LLC (“Global X Management”). The BOTZ is an investment portfolio managed by Global X Management, the investment adviser to the BOTZ. The consequences of any discontinuance of the BOTZ are discussed in the section entitled “Description of ARNs—Anti-Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to Underlying Funds” in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1. None of us, the calculation agent, MLPF&S, or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the BOTZ or any successor. Neither we nor any agent has independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any information with respect to the BOTZ in connection with the offer and sale of the notes. The BOTZ is an exchange-traded fund that trades on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol “BOTZ.”

The BOTZ seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index (the “Global Robotics & AI Index”). The Global Robotics & AI Index is designed to track the performance of companies listed in developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC (“Indxx”), that are expected to benefit from the adoption and utilization of robotics and Artificial Intelligence (“AI”), including companies involved in industrial robotics and automation, non-industrial robots, artificial intelligence and unmanned vehicles. For more information about the Global Robotics & AI Index, please see “The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index” below.

The BOTZ uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve its investment objective. The BOTZ does not try to outperform the Global Robotics & AI Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The BOTZ generally will use a replication strategy. meaning that it invests in the securities of the Global Robotics & AI Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Global Robotics & AI Index. However, the BOTZ may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Global Robotics & AI Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Global Robotics & AI Index, in instances in which a security in the Global Robotics & AI Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the BOTZ but not the Global Robotics & AI Index.

“Tracking error” is the divergence of the BOTZ’s performance from that of the Global Robotics & AI Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities and other instruments held in the BOTZ’s portfolio and those included in the Global Robotics & AI Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the BOTZ, the BOTZ’s holding of uninvested cash, size of the BOTZ, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Global Robotics & AI Index or the costs to the BOTZ of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the BOTZ incurs fees and expenses, while the Global Robotics & AI Index does not.

The Global X Trust is a registered investment company that consists of a separate investment portfolio for the BOTZ. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by the Global X Trust pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 333-151713 and 811-22209, respectively, through the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.

The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index

All information contained in this term sheet regarding the Global Robotics & AI Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation and changes in its components, has been derived from publicly available information, without independent verification. This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, Indxx. The Global Robotics & AI Index is calculated, maintained and published by Indxx. Indxx has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Global Robotics & AI Index.

The Global Robotics & AI Index is designed to track the performance of companies listed in developed markets, as defined by Indxx, that are expected to benefit from the adoption and utilization of robotics and AI, including companies involved in industrial robotics and automation, non-industrial robots, artificial intelligence and unmanned vehicles.

Eligible Universe of the Global Robotics & AI Index

Initial Universe

To be eligible for inclusion in the Global Robotics & AI Index, companies must first be eligible for inclusion in the “Initial Universe.”. The Initial Universe of the Global Robotics & AI Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx. As of January 2024, companies from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Initial Universe of the Global Robotics & AI Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

As of January 2024, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million, a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million and must have traded on 90% of the eligible trading days in the last 6 months (or 3 months in the case of Significant IPOs, as defined by Indxx) in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Initial Universe of the Global Robotics & AI Index. In case a company does not have a trading history of 6 months due to its recent initial public offering (“IPO”), such company, in case of Significant IPOs, must have started trading at least 10 calendar days prior to the Global Robotics & AI Index’s annual reconstitution/ rebalancing process. In the case of other IPOs, such company must have started trading 3 months before the start of the Global Robotics & AI Index’s annual reconstitution/ rebalancing process and should have traded on 90% of the eligible trading days for the past 3 months.

Criteria Applied to the Initial Universe

The companies in the Initial Universe must then satisfy the following criteria:

Companies in the Initial Universe that satisfy the criteria discussed above form the “Eligible Universe” of the Global Robotics & AI Index.

Selection Process of Robotics & AI Companies within the Eligible Universe

From the Eligible Universe, Indxx identifies “Robotics & AI Companies” by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: sub-theme identification and company analysis. As part of the sub-theme identification process, Indxx analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the robotics and AI industry in order to establish the sub-themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the robotics and AI industry. As of January 2024, Indxx has identified the following four robotics and AI sub-themes:

In order to be included in the Global Robotics & AI Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to one of these robotics and AI sub-themes, as determined by Indxx. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to one of the robotics and AI sub-themes, and it accordingly constitutes a “Pure Play Robotics & AI Company,” if (i) it derives a significant portion (greater than 50%) of its revenue from one of the robotics and AI sub-themes or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on one of the robotics and AI sub-themes, as determined by Indxx. Companies that have demonstrated these industries/segments to be growth focus areas through internal research and development investments, joint ventures, partnerships and/or acquisitions are eligible for inclusion in the final “Selection List”.

Final Composition of the Global Robotics & AI Index

From the Selection List, the companies with the highest market capitalization will form the Global Robotics & AI Index. The Global Robotics & AI Index is capped at 100 companies. If fewer than 100 companies qualify to be eligible for inclusion, all of these companies would be a part of the Global Robotics & AI Index. If fewer than 30 companies qualify as Robotics & AI Companies, the index committee would consider a secondary list of companies with diversified revenue streams that (1) have a distinct business unit focused on robotics or AI and (2) have a core competency that is expected to augment the adoption of robotics or AI for inclusion until the count reaches 30.

Index Calculation and Weighting

The Global Robotics & AI Index is weighted as follows:

Index Maintenance

Buffer Rules

To reduce turnover, the following buffer rules apply:

Reconstitution, Rebalancing and Reviews

The Global Robotics & AI Index follows an annual reconstitution and rebalancing schedule. The new portfolio becomes effective at the close of second Friday of March each year (the “Effective Day”).The selection of index constituents and portfolio creation process start on the close of the nearest Friday falling at least one month before the Effective Day (the “Selection Day”). The Selection List is created based on the data of the Selection Day. Weights are calculated at the close of the seventh trading day prior (six trading day prior) to the Effective Day. To capture IPOs and changes in the structure of a company’s business due to corporate actions, the composition of the Global Robotics & AI Index is reviewed on a semi-annual basis.

Corporate Actions

Corporate actions (such as stock splits, special dividends, spin-offs and rights offerings) are applied to the Global Robotics & AI Index on the ex-date or earlier as decided by the index committee.

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the BOTZ on its primary exchange in the period from September 13, 2016 through December 9, 2024. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. On December 9, 2024, the Closing Market Price of the BOTZ was $33.81. The graph below may have been adjusted to reflect certain actions, such as stock splits and reverse stock splits.

Historical Performance of the BOTZ

This historical data on the BOTZ is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the BOTZ or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the price per share of the BOTZ during any period set forth above is not an indication that the price per share of the BOTZ is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the prices of the BOTZ.

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount.

MLPF&S will purchase the notes from BofAS for resale, and will receive a selling concession in connection with the sale of the notes in an amount up to the full amount of underwriting discount set forth on the cover of this term sheet.

We will pay a fee to LFT Securities, LLC for providing certain electronic platform services with respect to this offering, which reduces the economic terms of the notes to you. An affiliate of BofAS has an ownership interest in LFT Securities, LLC.

We may deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than one business day following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than one business day from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units. If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S and/or one of its affiliates acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

MLPF&S and BofAS may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, and these prices will include MLPF&S’s and BofAS’s trading commissions and mark-ups or mark-downs. MLPF&S and BofAS may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however, neither is obligated to engage in any such transactions. At their discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S and BofAS may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S or BofAS for the notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Market Measure and the remaining term of the notes. However, none of us, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates is obligated to purchase your notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the notes.

The value of the notes shown on your account statement will be based on BofAS’s estimate of the value of the notes if BofAS or another of its affiliates were to make a market in the notes, which it is not obligated to do. That estimate will be based upon the price that BofAS may pay for the notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, as mentioned above, and will include transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the notes.

The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding RBC or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.

An investor’s household, as referenced on the cover of this term sheet, will generally include accounts held by any of the following, as determined by MLPF&S in its discretion and acting in good faith based upon information then available to MLPF&S:

Purchases in retirement accounts will not be considered part of the same household as an individual investor’s personal or other non-retirement account, except for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), simplified employee pension plans (“SEPs”), savings incentive match plan for employees (“SIMPLEs”) and single-participant or owners only accounts (i.e., retirement accounts held by self-employed individuals, business owners or partners with no employees other than their spouses).

Please contact your MLPF&S financial advisor if you have any questions about the application of these provisions to your specific circumstances or think you are eligible.

Structuring the Notes

The notes are our debt securities. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness. In addition, because market-linked notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under market-linked notes at a rate that is lower than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity, which we refer to as our internal funding rate. The lower internal funding rate, along with the fees and charges associated with market-linked notes, reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and result in the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date being less than their public offering price. Unlike the initial estimated value, any value of the notes determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction may be based on a secondary market rate, which may result in a lower value for the notes than if our initial internal funding rate were used.

At maturity, we are required to pay the Redemption Amount to holders of the notes, which will be calculated based on the $10 per unit principal amount and will depend on the performance of the Market Measure. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with BofAS or one of its affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined by seeking bids from market participants, including MLPF&S, BofAS and their affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Market Measure, the tenor of the notes and the tenor of the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.

BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include a hedging-related charge of approximately $0.05 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit to be credited to BofAS from these transactions. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, additional profits and losses from these hedging arrangements may be realized by BofAS or any third party hedge providers.

For further information, see “Risk Factors—Valuation- and Market-related Risks” beginning on page PS-8 and “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” on page PS-20 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences

For a discussion of the material Canadian federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the notes, please see the section entitled “Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation” in the prospectus dated December 20, 2023.

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

You should review carefully the section in the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary.” The following discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the notes.

Generally, this discussion assumes that you purchased the notes for cash in the original issuance at the stated issue price and does not address other circumstances specific to you, including consequences that may arise due to any other investments relating to the Market Measure. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect any such circumstances may have on the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your ownership of a note.

In the opinion of our counsel, which is based on current market conditions, it is reasonable to treat the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as pre-paid cash settled derivative contracts, as described in the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—U.S. Holders” in the accompanying product supplement. There is uncertainty regarding this treatment, and the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court might not agree with it. Moreover, because this treatment of the notes and our counsel’s opinion are based on market conditions as of the date of this preliminary term sheet, each is subject to confirmation on the pricing date. A different tax treatment could be adverse to you. Generally, if this treatment is respected, subject to the potential application of the “constructive ownership” regime discussed below, (i) you should not recognize taxable income or loss prior to the taxable disposition of your notes (including upon maturity or an earlier redemption, if applicable) and (ii) the gain or loss on your notes should be treated as short-term capital gain or loss unless you have held the notes for more than one year, in which case your gain or loss should be treated as long-term capital gain or loss.

Even if the treatment of the notes as pre-paid cash settled derivative contracts is respected, purchasing a note could be treated as entering into a “constructive ownership transaction” within the meaning of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 1260”). In that case, all or a portion of any long-term capital gain you would otherwise recognize upon the taxable disposition of the note would be recharacterized as ordinary income to the extent such gain exceeded the “net underlying long-term capital gain” as defined in Section 1260. Any long-term capital gain recharacterized as ordinary income would be treated as accruing at a constant rate over the period you held the note, and you would be subject to a notional interest charge in respect of the deemed tax liability on the income treated as accruing in prior tax years. Due to the lack of direct legal authority, our counsel is unable to opine as to whether or how Section 1260 applies to the notes.

We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the treatment of the notes. An alternative characterization of the notes could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the notes, including the timing and character of income recognized. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar financial instruments and have indicated that such transactions may be the subject of future regulations or other guidance. Furthermore, members of Congress have proposed legislative changes to the tax treatment of derivative contracts. Any legislation, Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

Non-U.S. holders. As discussed under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—Non-U.S. Holders” in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% withholding tax on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to non-U.S. holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities or indices that include U.S. equities. The Treasury regulations, as modified by an IRS notice, exempt financial instruments issued prior to January 1, 2027 that do not have a “delta” of one. Based on certain determinations made by us, we expect that Section 871(m) will not apply to the notes with regard to non-U.S. holders. Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. If necessary, further information regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) will be provided in the final term sheet for the notes.

We will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to U.S. federal withholding taxes.

You should consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative treatments and the potential application of the “constructive ownership” regime, as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

Supplemental Benefit Plan Investor Considerations

The notes are contractual financial instruments. The financial exposure provided by the notes is not a substitute or proxy for, and is not intended as a substitute or proxy for, individualized investment management or advice for the benefit of any purchaser or holder of the notes. The notes have not been designed and will not be administered in a manner intended to reflect the individualized needs and objectives of any purchaser or holder of the notes.

Each purchaser or holder of any notes acknowledges and agrees that:

See “Benefit Plan Investor Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.