UCC filing on personal property - debtor name exactly as appears on title?

For personal property UCC filings, you absolutely need to use the exact legal name. In your case, I'd go with 'Michael Robert Thompson' since that matches his government ID. The equipment titles might have abbreviated versions but the driver's license is the gold standard for individual debtors. For the collateral description, include the VIN numbers - it makes the filing much more specific and defensible.

Actually I had this exact same situation last month with construction equipment financing. The key is running a debtor name search first to see what's already on file. Sometimes there are existing filings under different name variations and you want consistency. Our state portal has a name search function that helped me figure out the right format.

I've been doing UCC filings for 15 years and name accuracy is everything. One character off and your security interest could be worthless. For equipment like excavators, definitely include the VIN numbers in the collateral description. Something like 'Caterpillar Model 320 Excavator, VIN: CAT320XYZ123456' gives you the best protection. The general rule is be as specific as possible without being unnecessarily wordy.

I actually discovered a tool recently that helps with this exact problem. Certana.ai has a document verification system where you can upload your loan docs and proposed UCC-1 and it cross-checks the debtor names and identifies any inconsistencies. It caught a middle initial mismatch on my last filing that would have caused problems later. Just upload the PDFs and it runs the comparison automatically.

Don't forget about the continuation requirements! You'll need to file a UCC-3 continuation before the 5-year mark or your filing lapses. Mark your calendar now because there's no grace period. I've seen lenders lose their perfected security interest because they forgot about the continuation deadline.

ugh the name thing is so frustrating! I filed a UCC last week and used the name exactly as it appeared on the business license only to have it rejected because the SOS wanted it to match the Articles of Incorporation instead. These systems are so inconsistent between states it makes me want to pull my hair out.

For equipment financing specifically, make sure you understand whether any of the equipment could be considered fixtures. If that excavator is going to be permanently attached to real estate, you might need fixture filing procedures instead of or in addition to the regular UCC-1. The rules vary by state but it's something to consider.

I'd recommend doing a trial run with a smaller amount first if you're nervous about the process. File a UCC-1 on a less critical transaction to get familiar with your state's portal and requirements. The process is pretty straightforward once you've done it a few times, but that first one can be intimidating.

One more thing - make sure you're filing in the right state! For equipment like excavators, it's usually where the debtor is located, not where the equipment is physically located. But if the debtor moves to another state, you might need to file an additional UCC-1 in the new state within 4 months.

Just to circle back on the document verification thing - I was skeptical about using automated tools for something this important, but I tried that Certana system mentioned earlier and it really did catch issues I would have missed. For a $340k loan, the peace of mind is worth it. You upload your loan agreement and draft UCC-1 and it verifies the debtor names match exactly.

Final update - I went with 'Michael Robert Thompson' as the debtor name and included full VIN numbers in the collateral description. The filing was accepted without any issues. Thanks everyone for the guidance! The name consistency was definitely the key factor.