Bank of America seeks billions from U.S. to cinch Merrill deal

— -- They declined to be named because the talks are ongoing. The Charlotte bank made a deal in September to acquire Merrill for $50 billion, and said on Jan. 1 that it had completed the merger. However, BofA had already begun talks in December with the Treasury Department, which committed to help the company, a source with direct knowledge of the talks said.

BofA received $25 billion from the first round of the government bailout. Now the bank hopes to tap into more capital from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program that the government set up last year to bring stability to the financial markets.