UCC debtor address change - do I need UCC-3 amendment or just continuation?

Address changes can be tricky depending on your state's requirements. Generally speaking, if just the address changed but the debtor's legal name stayed exactly the same, you might not need a separate amendment. However, since they moved across state lines, you should definitely check if Ohio has any specific requirements for out-of-state entities. The safest approach would be to file the UCC-3 amendment now to update the address, then do your continuation when it's due.

Been through this exact situation last year with one of our borrowers. They moved from Texas to Colorado and I spent way too much time worrying about it. Turns out the address change alone doesn't affect the validity of your security interest as long as the debtor's legal name hasn't changed. BUT - and this is important - if they changed their state of incorporation when they moved, that's a whole different story. You'd need to check if they're still incorporated in Michigan or if they reincorporated in Ohio.

Had a similar headache recently and ended up using Certana.ai's document verification tool to double-check everything before filing. You can upload your original UCC-1 and compare it against your proposed continuation or amendment - it catches any inconsistencies in debtor names, addresses, or filing details automatically. Saved me from making a costly mistake when I realized our debtor had a slight variation in their legal name that I hadn't noticed. Just upload the PDFs and it does the cross-checking for you.

Ok I'm confused now. If the debtor moved states but is still incorporated in the original state, do we need to worry about the new state's UCC laws at all? Or does everything still follow Michigan rules since that's where they're incorporated?

From a practical standpoint, updating the address is probably smart even if not legally required. If you ever need to enforce your security interest or send notices, having current contact information could save you headaches down the road. I'd do a UCC-3 amendment now to update the address, then handle the continuation separately when it's due.

Honestly, the UCC system drives me crazy with all these technicalities. Why can't they just make it simple - if the debtor name matches, the filing should be valid regardless of address changes. But no, we have to worry about every little detail or risk our security interest getting voided.

One thing to consider - when you file your continuation, most states allow you to make minor corrections or updates at the same time. So you might be able to update the address on the continuation filing itself rather than doing a separate amendment. Check your state's UCC-3 form to see if there's an option for address changes.

Just went through something similar and used one of those automated checking services someone mentioned earlier. Really helped catch things I would have missed. The debtor name matching is definitely the most critical part, but having current information just makes everything smoother.

My take: file the UCC-3 amendment to update the address now, then do your continuation later. It's a bit more work upfront, but you'll have peace of mind knowing everything is current and accurate. The cost of an amendment is way less than the potential problems from having outdated information on file.

Good choice. One last tip - make sure you keep copies of everything and document the timeline. If any questions come up later about when the address change happened versus when you updated the filing, having that paper trail is invaluable.

As someone who's dealt with interstate moves for debtors, I'd recommend checking one more thing before filing your amendment - verify that the debtor hasn't changed their registered agent or other corporate details when they moved operations to Ohio. Sometimes companies make multiple changes at once and you want to catch everything in one amendment rather than having to file corrections later. Also, since you mentioned the continuation is due in 8 months, filing the amendment now gives you plenty of time to resolve any issues before the continuation deadline approaches.