<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): June 1, 2006

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

            DELAWARE             001-31409                    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

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2.):

[ ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


<PAGE>


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.        ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES

                  Not applicable.

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 VER-1 on June 1, 2006.

                           For information with respect to the underlying
                  securities held by PreferredPLUS Trust Series VER-1, please
                  refer to Verizon Communications Inc.'s (Commission file number
                  001-08606) 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 support provider has filed
                  electronically with the SEC.

<PAGE>

                           Although we have no reason to believe the information
                  concerning the underlying securities, the underlying
                  securities issuer, the support agreement or the underlying
                  securities support provider contained in the underlying
                  securities support provider'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
                  or the underlying securities support provider (including,
                  without limitation, no investigation as to their respective
                  financial condition or creditworthiness) or of the underlying
                  securities or the support agreement has been made. You should
                  obtain and evaluate the same information concerning the
                  underlying securities issuer and the underlying securities
                  support provider as you would obtain and evaluate if you were
                  investing directly in the underlying securities or in other
                  securities issued by the underlying securities issuer (or the
                  underlying securities support provider). There can be no
                  assurance that events affecting the underlying securities, the
                  underlying securities issuer, the support agreement or the
                  underlying support provider 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)      Shell company transactions.

                  Not applicable.

         (d)      Exhibits.

                  99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the June 1, 2006
                           distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Certificates Series VER-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: June 20, 2006           By:    /s/ Zvi Gillon
                                     -----------------------------------------
                              Name:  Zvi Gillon
                              Title: President


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the June 1, 2006 distribution to holders
         of the PreferredPLUS Trust Series VER-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): June 1, 2006

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

            DELAWARE             001-31409                    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

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2.):

[ ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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.        ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES

                  Not applicable.

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 VER-1 on June 1, 2006.

                           For information with respect to the underlying
                  securities held by PreferredPLUS Trust Series VER-1, please
                  refer to Verizon Communications Inc.'s (Commission file number
                  001-08606) 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 support provider has filed
                  electronically with the SEC.
Although we have no reason to believe the information
                  concerning the underlying securities, the underlying
                  securities issuer, the support agreement or the underlying
                  securities support provider contained in the underlying
                  securities support provider'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
                  or the underlying securities support provider (including,
                  without limitation, no investigation as to their respective
                  financial condition or creditworthiness) or of the underlying
                  securities or the support agreement has been made. You should
                  obtain and evaluate the same information concerning the
                  underlying securities issuer and the underlying securities
                  support provider as you would obtain and evaluate if you were
                  investing directly in the underlying securities or in other
                  securities issued by the underlying securities issuer (or the
                  underlying securities support provider). There can be no
                  assurance that events affecting the underlying securities, the
                  underlying securities issuer, the support agreement or the
                  underlying support provider 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)      Shell company transactions.

                  Not applicable.

         (d)      Exhibits.

                  99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the June 1, 2006
                           distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                           Certificates Series VER-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: June 20, 2006           By:    /s/ Zvi Gillon
                                     -----------------------------------------
                              Name:  Zvi Gillon
                              Title: President
EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the June 1, 2006 distribution to holders
         of the PreferredPLUS Trust Series VER-1.