<PAGE>

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                           --------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                            -------------------------

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 3, 2005

                          MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.
                 (ON BEHALF OF PREFERREDPLUS TRUST SERIES FAR-1)
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         DELAWARE                   001-31488                13-3891329
     (State or other              (Commission            (I. R. S. Employer
     jurisdiction  of              File Number)          Identification No.)
      incorporation)

                WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER,                        10080
                  NEW YORK, NEW YORK                         (Zip Code)
                 (Address of principal
                  executive offices)
                           --------------------------

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 449-1000

                      INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN REPORT


SECTION 1.        REGISTRANT'S BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 2.        FINANCIAL INFORMATION

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 3.        SECURITIES AND TRADING MARKETS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 4.        MATTERS RELATED TO ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 5.        CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 6.        [RESERVED]
<PAGE>

SECTION 7.        REGULATION FD

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 8.        OTHER EVENTS

         ITEM 8.01         OTHER EVENTS

                  99.1     Distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Certificates Series FAR-1 on October 3, 2005.

                                    For information with respect to the
                           underlying securities held by PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Series FAR-1, please refer to The First American
                           Corporation's (Commission file number 001-13585)
                           periodic reports, including annual reports on Form
                           10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current
                           reports on Form 8-K, and other information on file
                           with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
                           "SEC"). You can read and copy these reports and other
                           information at the public reference facilities
                           maintained by the SEC at Room 1580, 100 F Street, NE,
                           Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain copies of this
                           material for a fee by writing to the SEC's Public
                           Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, NE,
                           Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information
                           about the operation of the Public Reference Room by
                           calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You can also
                           access some of this information electronically by
                           means of the SEC's website on the Internet at
                           http://www.sec.gov, which contains reports, proxy and
                           information statements and other information that the
                           underlying securities issuer has filed electronically
                           with the SEC.

                                            Although we have no reason to
                           believe the information concerning the underlying
                           securities or the underlying securities issuer
                           contained in the underlying securities issuer's
                           Exchange Act reports is not reliable, neither the
                           depositor nor the trustee participated in the
                           preparation of such documents or made any due
                           diligence inquiry with respect to the information
                           provided therein. No investigation with respect to
                           the underlying securities issuer (including, without
                           limitation, no investigation as to its financial
                           condition or creditworthiness) or of the underlying
                           securities has been made. You should obtain and
                           evaluate the same information concerning the
                           underlying securities issuer as you would obtain and
                           evaluate if your investment were directly in the
                           underlying securities or in other securities issued
                           by the underlying securities issuer. There can be no
                           assurance that events affecting the underlying
                           securities or the underlying securities issuer have
                           not occurred or have not yet been publicly disclosed
                           which would affect the accuracy or completeness of
                           the publicly available documents described above.
<PAGE>

SECTION 9.        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         ITEM 9.01    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

                  (a) Financial statements of business acquired.

                      Not Applicable.

                  (b) Pro forma financial information.

                      Not Applicable.

                  (c) Exhibits.

                           99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the October
                                    3, 2005 distribution to holders of the
                                    PreferredPLUS Trust Certificates Series
                                    FAR-1.
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.


                                          MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.

         Date: October 12, 2005               By:  /s/ Zvi Gillon
                                                 ------------------------------
                                              Name:    Zvi Gillon
                                              Title:   Vice President
<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


                  99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the October 3, 2005
                           distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Certificates Series FAR-1.
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                           --------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                            -------------------------

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 3, 2005

                          MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.
                 (ON BEHALF OF PREFERREDPLUS TRUST SERIES FAR-1)
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         DELAWARE                   001-31488                13-3891329
     (State or other              (Commission            (I. R. S. Employer
     jurisdiction  of              File Number)          Identification No.)
      incorporation)

                WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER,                        10080
                  NEW YORK, NEW YORK                         (Zip Code)
                 (Address of principal
                  executive offices)
                           --------------------------

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 449-1000

                      INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN REPORT

SECTION 1.        REGISTRANT'S BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 2.        FINANCIAL INFORMATION

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 3.        SECURITIES AND TRADING MARKETS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 4.        MATTERS RELATED TO ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 5.        CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 6.        [RESERVED]
SECTION 7.        REGULATION FD

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 8.        OTHER EVENTS

         ITEM 8.01         OTHER EVENTS

                  99.1     Distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Certificates Series FAR-1 on October 3, 2005.

                                    For information with respect to the
                           underlying securities held by PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Series FAR-1, please refer to The First American
                           Corporation's (Commission file number 001-13585)
                           periodic reports, including annual reports on Form
                           10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current
                           reports on Form 8-K, and other information on file
                           with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
                           "SEC"). You can read and copy these reports and other
                           information at the public reference facilities
                           maintained by the SEC at Room 1580, 100 F Street, NE,
                           Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain copies of this
                           material for a fee by writing to the SEC's Public
                           Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, NE,
                           Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information
                           about the operation of the Public Reference Room by
                           calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You can also
                           access some of this information electronically by
                           means of the SEC's website on the Internet at
                           http://www.sec.gov, which contains reports, proxy and
                           information statements and other information that the
                           underlying securities issuer has filed electronically
                           with the SEC.

                                            Although we have no reason to
                           believe the information concerning the underlying
                           securities or the underlying securities issuer
                           contained in the underlying securities issuer's
                           Exchange Act reports is not reliable, neither the
                           depositor nor the trustee participated in the
                           preparation of such documents or made any due
                           diligence inquiry with respect to the information
                           provided therein. No investigation with respect to
                           the underlying securities issuer (including, without
                           limitation, no investigation as to its financial
                           condition or creditworthiness) or of the underlying
                           securities has been made. You should obtain and
                           evaluate the same information concerning the
                           underlying securities issuer as you would obtain and
                           evaluate if your investment were directly in the
                           underlying securities or in other securities issued
                           by the underlying securities issuer. There can be no
                           assurance that events affecting the underlying
                           securities or the underlying securities issuer have
                           not occurred or have not yet been publicly disclosed
                           which would affect the accuracy or completeness of
                           the publicly available documents described above.
SECTION 9.        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         ITEM 9.01    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

                  (a) Financial statements of business acquired.

                      Not Applicable.

                  (b) Pro forma financial information.

                      Not Applicable.

                  (c) Exhibits.

                           99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the October
                                    3, 2005 distribution to holders of the
                                    PreferredPLUS Trust Certificates Series
                                    FAR-1.
SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                          MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.

         Date: October 12, 2005               By:  /s/ Zvi Gillon
                                                 ------------------------------
                                              Name:    Zvi Gillon
                                              Title:   Vice President
EXHIBIT INDEX

                  99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the October 3, 2005
                           distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Certificates Series FAR-1.