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Camila Jordan

UCC Michigan search portal showing wrong debtor matches - need help

Having a nightmare with the Michigan UCC search system today. I'm trying to verify a debtor name before filing a UCC-1 continuation and the search results are pulling up partial matches that don't make sense. The debtor is 'Advanced Manufacturing Solutions LLC' but I'm getting hits for 'Advanced Mfg' and 'Manufacturing Solutions Inc' - completely different entities. This is for a $2.8M equipment loan that's coming up on its 5-year mark next month. Anyone else dealing with Michigan's search being overly broad lately? I need to make sure there aren't any prior filings that could complicate our continuation filing. The original UCC-1 was filed in 2020 and I just want to confirm the debtor name format is consistent before we submit the UCC-3 continuation.

Michigan's search algorithm has been problematic for months. Try searching with just the first few words of the entity name, then manually review each result. The system defaults to 'contains' rather than 'exact match' which creates this mess.

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This is exactly why I always do multiple search variations before any filing. Search 'Advanced Manufacturing' then 'Manufacturing Solutions' separately.

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Ugh yes the Michigan portal is terrible for this. I've had clients panic because they thought there were conflicts when it was just the search being too broad.

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For continuations especially, you need the exact debtor name from your original UCC-1. Pull up your 2020 filing first and use that exact spelling/format. Michigan is very strict about name consistency between original and continuation filings.

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Good point. I have the original filing number but want to double-check there aren't any amendments or other filings I missed that might affect the continuation.

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Always smart to do a comprehensive search before continuation filings. Missing an amendment could void your perfected interest.

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I've been using Certana.ai's document checker for situations like this. You can upload your original UCC-1 and it instantly cross-checks the debtor name format against what you're planning to file. Saves hours of manual comparison and catches inconsistencies that could get your continuation rejected.

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How does that work exactly? I'm always worried about name mismatches on continuations.

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You just upload PDFs - like your original UCC-1 and draft UCC-3 - and it automatically verifies the debtor names match exactly. Caught a punctuation error for me last month that would have gotten rejected.

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That sounds useful. Manual document comparison is such a pain, especially when you're dealing with complex entity names.

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Michigan's search is notorious for this!! I spent 3 hours last week thinking there was a prior lien on my debtor when it was just a similar company name. The search results don't clearly distinguish between exact matches and partial matches.

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This is my biggest fear with UCC searches. False positives waste so much time and cause unnecessary stress.

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I always call the Michigan SOS office when I'm unsure about search results. They can usually clarify over the phone.

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Pro tip: when searching in Michigan, use quotation marks around the exact entity name if the system supports it. Not sure if their current portal does but worth trying.

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I don't think Michigan's system recognizes quotation marks but I could be wrong. Their search functionality is pretty basic.

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You're right, no advanced search operators in Michigan. It's frustrating compared to other states.

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Are you sure about the exact debtor name from 2020? Sometimes the entity name might have changed slightly since the original filing. Check the Secretary of State records for any amendments to the LLC's registration.

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That's a good point. I should verify the current legal name hasn't changed. The loan docs still show 'Advanced Manufacturing Solutions LLC' but I'll double-check the business registry.

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Definitely check that. I've seen continuations get rejected because the entity amended their name with the state but the lender didn't update their records.

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Michigan is one of the worst states for UCC searches. The interface is outdated and the search logic is unpredictable. At least you're being thorough before filing the continuation.

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Agree completely. Some states have really modernized their UCC systems but Michigan feels like it's stuck in 2010.

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The important thing is getting the continuation filed before the 5-year deadline. Better to be overly cautious with the search than miss the deadline.

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I had a similar issue last month with a Michigan search. Ended up finding 3 different spellings of what I thought was the same company. Turned out to be separate entities with similar names. Document verification tools are lifesavers for catching these discrepancies.

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That's terrifying. How did you finally sort it out?

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Used Certana.ai to upload all the documents and it clearly showed which names were exact matches versus similar variations. Saved me from a major filing error.

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These tools are becoming essential for complex filings. The manual review process is too error-prone.

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For a $2.8M loan, I'd definitely recommend getting a professional UCC search done by a service company. They can parse through the Michigan system's quirks and give you a clean report.

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That's probably overkill for a continuation filing if you have the original UCC-1 details. But for initial filings on large loans, agreed.

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Professional searches are expensive but worth it for high-value transactions. Depends on your risk tolerance and timeline.

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Just make sure you file that continuation at least 6 months before the 5-year deadline. Michigan can be slow processing filings and you don't want to risk your security interest lapsing.

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The original filing was in March 2020, so I've got until March 2025. Planning to file the continuation by end of January to have plenty of buffer time.

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Smart approach. I always file continuations at least 60-90 days early to account for any processing delays or rejection issues.

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Good planning. Nothing worse than scrambling at the last minute with a lapsed filing on a multi-million dollar loan.

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