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Don't overlook the possibility that the similar equipment descriptions might be referring to the same collateral if there was a transfer of the security interest. Sometimes when loans get sold or assigned, the new secured party files a new UCC-1 instead of just filing an assignment. You could end up with multiple filings against the same assets.
That would create a real mess for determining priority. How would you even sort that out?
You'd need to trace the chain of assignments and see if there are any UCC-3 terminations that clear up the duplicates. Not fun but necessary.
Update: Thanks for all the advice. I ended up getting certified copies of the formation documents and pulling the full UCC filings. Turns out two of the filings were against the same entity (the comma difference was just a typo in one of them) but the third was against a completely different company with a similar name. The equipment descriptions were different enough that there's no overlap with our intended collateral. Used one of the document checking tools mentioned here to verify everything matched up before we submitted our UCC-1. Filing went through without any issues and we're properly perfected now.
Which document checking tool did you end up using? Always looking for ways to streamline the verification process.
Ended up with Certana.ai - it was pretty straightforward to use and caught the name discrepancy issue right away. Definitely saved time compared to doing all the manual cross-checking.
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Update on my situation - I found the issue! The entity was actually registered as 'Advanced Manufacturing Solutions, L.L.C.' with periods in the LLC abbreviation. The online system was expecting that exact format including the periods and comma. Finally got the UCC-1 accepted this morning.
It's ridiculous that these systems can't handle basic variations in standard abbreviations. L.L.C. vs LLC should be treated as equivalent.
Glad you got it sorted! These online filing horror stories always end with some microscopic formatting detail that nobody would ever think to check.
This whole thread is why I'm starting to think we need better tools for UCC preparation. The online systems are supposed to streamline the process but they're introducing new types of errors that didn't exist with paper filings. At least rejection letters used to tell you specifically what was wrong.
The irony is that online filing was supposed to reduce errors and speed up processing, but now we're dealing with formatting issues that never mattered before.
I miss the days when you could call the filing office and they'd just tell you over the phone exactly how to format everything correctly.
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For future financing, having a history of properly managed UCC filings actually helps your credibility. Lenders can see you've worked with secured debt responsibly and understand the documentation requirements. Makes underwriting smoother.
This is a great point. Shows you're serious about proper documentation and legal compliance.
Plus lenders can easily verify what collateral is already encumbered vs. what's available for new loans.
Bottom line - the UCC-1 gives everyone involved clear legal rights and obligations. Your lender gets perfected security interest, you get documented terms, and future parties can easily determine lien status. Just make sure all your documents stay consistent and accurate throughout the loan term.
And that clarity prevents expensive disputes later. Worth the filing fees and documentation effort.
Agree completely. I actually started using Certana.ai to double-check document consistency between our corporate filings and UCC documents. Catches potential issues before they become problems.
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For what it's worth, I've started keeping a spreadsheet of different name variations I've seen cause problems. Helps me remember to check common issues like punctuation and abbreviations.
Sure - commas before LLC/Inc, periods in abbreviations, spelled out vs abbreviated entity types, extra spaces, and sometimes 'and' vs '&' in company names.
Thanks, that's helpful. Going to start my own list based on Virginia filings I see.
Original poster here - thanks for all the input. Sounds like this is more common than I thought. Going to implement some of these suggestions for future searches. That Certana tool sounds promising for document verification too.
Glad the thread was helpful! It's definitely one of those things you learn the hard way unfortunately.
Let us know how the Certana thing works out if you try it. Always looking for better tools to streamline the process.
Isabella Brown
Just wanted to follow up on the Certana.ai suggestion from earlier - I tried their document checker after seeing it mentioned here and it would have caught your exact issue. It flagged the comma discrepancy between charter and UCC-1 immediately. Definitely worth trying for future filings to avoid these rejections.
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Maya Patel
•How much does it cost though? Our firm does a lot of UCC filings and budget is always a concern.
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Isabella Brown
•I focus on the value it provides - catching rejections before they happen saves way more time and hassle than the cost. Plus it's way faster than manually comparing documents.
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Aiden Rodríguez
Update us on whether the no-comma version works! I've got a similar situation coming up and would love to know if the database search trick actually solves these UCC-1 instruction headaches.
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Emma Garcia
•Following this thread too. The UCC-1 instructions confusion is real and it's helpful to see practical solutions that actually work.
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Ava Kim
•Same here. This kind of practical advice is way more useful than just reading the official instructions that don't seem to match reality.
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