Document:

<PAGE>
                                                                 EXHIBIT (10)(b)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the use in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to Registration
Statement No. 33-43654 of ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A on
Form N-4 of our reports on (i) ML Life Insurance Company of New York dated
February 27, 2001, and (ii) ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A
dated February 16, 2001, appearing in the Statement of Additional Information,
which is a part of such Registration Statement, and to the reference to us under
the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus, which is a part of such Registration
Statement.

<TABLE>
<S>                                      <C>
       /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
</TABLE>

New York, New York
April 26, 2001<PAGE>
                                                                 EXHIBIT (10)(c)

                       CONSENT OF BARRY G. SKOLNICK, ESQ.

    I hereby consent to the reference to my name under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the prospectus included in Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-4 for certain variable annuity insurance
contracts issued through ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A and
included in the prospectus included in Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-4 for certain variable annuity insurance
contracts issued through ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account B of
Merrill Lynch Life Insurance Company, File Nos. 33-43654 and 33-45380.

<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>  <C>
                                                                      /s/ BARRY G. SKOLNICK
                                                            -----------------------------------------
                                                                        Barry G. Skolnick
                                                                  PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
</TABLE>

April 27, 2001<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.11

BONUS PLAN FOR OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

The corporate bonus plan is designed to provide annual financial incentives
to eligible officers and employees of the Company for the attainment of
certain financial objectives, which may be different from individual to
individual. For each plan period, the financial objectives of the Company are
established and individual objectives for each eligible officer and employee
are recommended by the Chief Executive Officer and approved by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Depending on the extent to
which such objectives are achieved, a percentage of each eligible officer's
and employee's base salary will be paid as a bonus. The bonus percentage of
base salary may range from 0% to 60% for the President and Chief Executive
Officer and from 0% to 50% for the Executive Vice Presidents.<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.22

                             EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     This Employment Agreement (the "Agreement") is made as of March 20, 2001
by and between Michaels Stores, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and R. Michael Rouleau ("Executive").

     The parties hereto agree as follows:

     1.   EMPLOYMENT. The Company agrees to employ Executive and Executive
accepts such employment for the period beginning as of the date hereof and
ending on January 31, 2006, subject to earlier termination pursuant to
Paragraph 1(d). After January 31, 2006, this Agreement will continue for
successive one-year terms unless the Company gives written notice to
Executive pursuant to Paragraph 4 of this Agreement at least 120 days prior
to the expiration of any term of this Agreement that the Agreement will not
be renewed. If a Change in Control of the Company (as hereinafter defined)
shall have occurred during any term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall
continue in effect until the term of the Agreement expires.

          (a) SALARY, BONUS AND BENEFITS. During the term of this Agreement,
the Company will pay Executive a base salary ("Base Salary") of $675,000 per
annum, or such higher amount as the Company's Board of Directors or an
appropriate committee thereof shall determine in its sole discretion. Base
Salary will be paid in equal bi-weekly installments. On or about April 1 of
each year during the term of this Agreement, Executive shall be eligible to
receive a bonus based on the Company's applicable bonus plan. If a Change in
Control of the Company shall have occurred during any term of this Agreement,
Executive shall be entitled to receive employee benefits under, and
participate in for the remaining term of the Agreement, all employee benefit
plans to which Executive was entitled immediately prior to the date of the
Change in Control, including but not limited to any applicable pension plan,
retirement plan, stock option plan, employee stock ownership, 401(k) savings
plan, disability insurance plan, life insurance plan, medical and dental
insurance plans.

          (b) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS. In addition to the salary and any bonus
payable to Executive pursuant to Paragraph 1(a), Executive will be entitled
during the term of this Agreement to health insurance, life insurance,
disability insurance, four weeks of vacation annually, a Company-paid
automobile, and such other employment-related benefits that the Company
provides to its executive employees, as well as any perquisites the Board of
Directors or an appropriate committee thereof may establish. The Company
shall reimburse Executive, in accordance with its standard expense reporting
and reimbursement policies in effect from time to time, for all out-of-pocket
expenses which Executive shall incur in connection with his services for the
Company.

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.22

          (c) SERVICES. During the term of this Agreement, Executive will
serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and will perform such
services of an executive and administrative nature for the Company and its
subsidiaries as the Company's Board of Directors and/or the Company's
Chairman of the Board of Directors may from time to time direct. It is the
intention of the parties that, subject to the directives of the Company's
Board of Directors and its Chairman, Executive's principal responsibilities
shall be to direct the day to day management of the Company. Executive will
devote all of his business time and attention (except for vacation periods
and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacity) to the business of the
Company and its subsidiaries.

          (d) TERMINATION; SEVERANCE PAY. The term of this Agreement will
terminate upon the first to occur of (i) January 31, 2006, (ii) Executive's
death or permanent disability (as determined by the Board of Directors in its
good faith judgment) or (iii) the date on which the Company's Board of
Directors terminates Executive's employment for "Cause."  In the event that
the Company shall terminate Executive's employment prior to January 31, 2006
otherwise than pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) above, the Company shall pay
severance pay to Executive by continuing the Base Salary, as well as all
additional benefits described in Paragraph 1(a) and in effect at the time of
such termination, until January 31, 2006. Such payments shall be made in
bi-weekly installments. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause" shall mean by
determination of the Company's Board of Directors in its good faith judgment
that Executive has: (1) knowingly committed gross misconduct in the
performance of his duties, (2) knowingly committed gross negligence or gross
nonfeasance in the performance of his duties, (3) committed an act of
financial dishonesty against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (4)
committed any felony involving moral turpitude.

          In the event of the termination of Executive's employment by the
Company for any reason other than Cause, the Company will allow Executive's
spouse to continue to participate in the Company's medical plan on the same
basis as such continued participation is provided to spouses of other
executive employees until her 65th birthday. If such continued participation
is not possible for any reason, the Company will purchase health insurance
coverage for Executive's spouse that provides, to the extent practicable,
reasonably comparable benefits until her 65th birthday. In no event will the
Company be obligated to provide any medical plan or other health insurance
coverage if Executive's spouse becomes eligible for medical benefits offered
by another employer. In addition, in the event this Agreement is terminated
at any time and for any reason (i) any unvested portion of Executive's 401(k)
savings plan interest will automatically accelerate and become immediately
100% vested on the date of such termination or, if such accelerated vesting
is not permitted by any law, regulation or governmental ruling applicable to
the 401(k) savings plan, the Company will pay to Executive the value of his
unvested interest in the 401(k) savings plan; (ii) any and all unvested stock
options to purchase common stock of the Company granted to Executive at any
time during his employment with Company will automatically accelerate and
become immediately 100% vested and exercisable on the date of said
termination; (iii) Executive will have the option to purchase the
Company-paid automobile in his possession at the depreciated book value of
said automobile; and (iv) Executive will automatically become the owner of
his Company-paid whole life insurance policy.

                                       2

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.22

     2.   CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Executive acknowledges that the trade
secrets and similar proprietary information obtained by him during the course
of his employment with the Company (including his employment prior to the
date of this Agreement), concerning the business or affairs of the Company
and its subsidiaries are the property of the Company. Therefore, Executive
agrees that, at no time during or after the term of this Agreement, will he
disclose to any unauthorized person or use for his own account any of such
information or data without the written consent of the Chairman of the Board
of Directors, unless and to the extent that the aforementioned matters become
generally known to and available for use by the public other than as a result
of Executive's acts or omissions to act. Executive agrees to deliver to the
Company at the termination of his employment, or at any other time the
Company may request, all memoranda, notes, plans, records, reports and other
documents (and copies thereof) relating to the business of the Company and
its subsidiaries which he may then possess or have under his control.

     3.   CHANGE IN CONTROL. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Change
in Control" means the occurrence of any of the following events:

          (a) the Company is merged, consolidated or reorganized into or with
     another corporation or other legal person, and as a result of such
     merger, consolidation or reorganization less than two-thirds of the
     combined voting power of the then-outstanding securities entitled to
     vote generally in the election of directors ("Voting Stock") of such
     corporation or person immediately after such transaction are held in the
     aggregate by the holders of Voting Stock of the Company immediately
     prior to such transaction;

          (b) the Company sells or otherwise transfers all or substantially all
     of its assets to another corporation or other legal person, and as a
     result of such sale or transfer less than two-thirds of the combined
     voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of such corporation or
     person immediately after such sale or transfer is held in the aggregate
     by the holders of Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to such
     sale or transfer;

          (c) there is a report filed on Schedule 13D or Schedule 14D-1 (or any
     successor schedule, form or report), each as promulgated pursuant to the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), disclosing that
     any person (as the term "person" is used in Section 13(d)(3) or Section
     14(d)(2) of the Act) has become the beneficial owner (as the term
     "beneficial owner" is defined under Rule 13d-3 or any successor rule or
     regulation promulgated under the Act) of securities representing 20% or
     more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock
     of the Company;

          (d) the Company files a report or proxy statement with the Securities
     and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Act disclosing in response to
     Form 8-K or Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule, form or report or
     item therein) that a change in control of the Company has occurred or
     will occur in the future pursuant to any then-existing contract or
     transaction; or

                                       3

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.22

          (e) if, during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who
     at the beginning of any such period constitute the directors of the
     Company cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof;
     provided, however, that for purposes of this Paragraph 3(e) each
     director who is first elected, or first nominated for election by the
     Company's stockholders, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the
     directors of the Company (or a committee thereof) then still in office
     who were directors of the Company at the beginning of any such period
     will be deemed to have been a director of the Company at the beginning
     of such period.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of Paragraph 3(c) or (d) above,
unless otherwise determined in a specific case by majority vote of the Board,
a "Change in Control" will not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of
Paragraph 3(c) or (d) above solely because (A) the Company, (B) a Subsidiary
or (C) any Company-sponsored employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary either files or becomes obligated to file a report or a proxy
statement under or in response to Schedule 13D, Schedule 14D-1, Form 8-K or
Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule, form or report or item therein)
under the Act disclosing beneficial ownership by it of shares of Voting Stock
of the Company, whether in excess of 20% or otherwise, or because the Company
reports that a change in control of the Company has occurred or will occur in
the future by reason of such beneficial ownership or any decrease thereof.

     4.   NOTICES. Any notice provided for in this Agreement must be in
writing and must be either personally delivered, or mailed by first class
mail, to the recipient at the address below indicated:

                    To the Company:

                    Michaels Stores, Inc.
                    c/o Sam Wyly, Chairman
                    300 Crescent Court
                    Suite 1000
                    Dallas, Texas  75201

                    To Executive:

                    R. Michael Rouleau
                    4938 Brookview Drive
                    Dallas, Texas  75220

or such other address or to the attention of such other person as the
recipient party shall have specified by prior written notice to the sending
party. Any notice under this Agreement will be deemed to have been given when
so delivered or mailed.

                                       4

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.22

     5.   SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement
will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under
applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in
any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not
affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will
be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid,
illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

     6.   COMPLETE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the complete
agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and
preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or
between the parties hereto, written or oral, which may have related to the
subject matter hereof in any way, including without limitation that certain
Employment Agreement, dated as of April 29, 1997, by and between the Company
and Executive.

     7.   COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in separate
counterparts, each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which
taken together constitute one and the same agreement.

     8.   SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNABILITY. This Agreement is intended to bind
and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and his heirs,
executors or administrators, and to bind and inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns. This Agreement
shall not be assignable by Executive, except by will or pursuant to the laws
of descent and distribution.

     9.   CHOICE OF LAW. All questions concerning the construction, validity,
and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the internal law,
and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Texas, including without
limitation the Texas statute of limitations.

     10.  REMEDIES. Each of the parties to this Agreement will be entitled to
enforce its rights under this Agreement specifically, to recover damages by
reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all
other rights existing in its favor. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge
that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the
provisions of this Agreement and that any party may in its sole discretion
apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction for specific
performance and/or injunctive relief in order to enforce or prevent any
violations of the provisions of this Agreement.

     11.  AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. Any provision of this Agreement may be
amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and
Executive.

     12.  LEGAL FEES. In the event of any litigation between the parties
hereto relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party will be entitled to
recover from the losing party reimbursement for the prevailing party's
reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses.

                                       5

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.22

IN WITNESS HEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the 20th day
of March, 2001.

                                        MICHAELS STORES, INC.

                                        By: /s/ Sam Wyly
                                           -----------------------------------
                                        Sam Wyly, Chairman of the Board
                                        of Directors

                                        /s/ R. Michael Rouleau
                                        --------------------------------------
                                        R. Michael Rouleau

                                       6

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