Can someone, who knows definitely, please explain the Merrill Penalty Box?

I have heard more variations from Merrill FCs than I can possibly count. Some apparently have been told it won’t apply to them even though LOS and T12 would place them there,  some have been told that the threshold had been lowered from $350K to $250k but that only lasts anywhere from a month to the end of the year (to prevent a mass exodus) -  the seeming policy  wouldn’t be announced through normal Merrill channel.

It would appear the writing is on the wall for the <$400K T12 FC at the former Big 4 - Thanks for the memories (and your book) please leave your keys at the front desk on the way out.