Risk Management Blog

In times of economic volatility and uncertainty, lenders face increased challenges in managing risk. In times like these, due diligence becomes a critical aspect of lending practices, particularly when it comes to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). By thoroughly understanding and implementing the principles of the UCC, lenders can effectively navigate through an economic downturn while minimizing their risk exposure.

Key Challenges During Times of Economic Uncertainty
As the financial climate dictates, lenders encounter various obstacles that can impact their lending practices and increase their risk exposure. While there are many areas affected for lenders, reduced borrower creditworthiness and the increased risk of default top the list.

Increased default and credit risk: Economic downturns often lead to a higher number of business failures and increased credit risk. Lenders face challenges in assessing the creditworthiness of borrowers and managing the risk of defaults.

Reduced borrower creditworthiness: Businesses may experience financial difficulties during an economic downturn, resulting in the borrower’s inability to repay the loan and meet their financial obligations.

Best Practices to Mitigate Risk in an Economic Downturn
To navigate these challenging times successfully, it is important for organizations to implement effective risk mitigation strategies. By adopting best practices specifically tailored for economic downturns, businesses can enhance their ability to withstand economic uncertainties and emerge stronger from challenging times.

I. Thorough Pre-Funding UCC Searching
During financially challenging times, it is particularly important that we conduct comprehensive UCC searches to identify any existing liens or security interests on the borrower’s assets. This helps lenders understand the priority of their potential security interest and identify any potential risks or competing claims that may impact the recovery of collateral in the event of default.

When conducting UCC searches, it is best practice to cast a “wide net” and bring in as many potential hits as possible and then whittle them down to only those that are pertinent to your transaction. This way you can uncover hidden liens as well as those filed under name variations.

Not all jurisdictions use the same “search logic” so what may work in one state may not work in the next.

PRO TIP: To eliminate the headache caused jurisdictional discrepancies, use an online UCC search system like FICOSO Online that uses “broad-based” search logic to uncover hidden liens and those filed under name variations.

II. Properly Filed UCC-1 Financing Statement
According to Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, a UCC-1 Financing Statement is only effective if it gets the debtor’s name right. A UCC filing that fails to properly identify the debtor by their exact legal name will not offer the secured party priority status to collect should the debtor default or file for bankruptcy.

For registered business debtors, the name that should appear on a UCC-1 is the name that appears in the public record in the state where the business is organized. This typically comes from the business’s formal organizing paperwork such as articles of incorporation/organization or partnership agreement.

III. Maintain Your Financing Statement with UCC-3s
A UCC-3 filing is a document filed under the UCC to make amendments to a previously filed UCC-1 financing statement. There are 5 distinct types of UCC-3 filings:

• Continuations: Extends the duration of a UCC-1 by an additional 5 years
• Party Amendments: Amends the debtor or secured party information
• Collateral Amendments: Adds or removes collateral from the description or restates the collateral description entirely
• Assignments: Transfers the secured party’s interest in collateral to another party
• Terminations: Ends the secured party’s ownership in collateral associated with the debt

File UCC-3 amendments as soon as possible to reflect changes promptly and avoid potential complications.

PRO TIP: FICOSO Online utilizes intuitive form-filler technology that enables users to create error-free UCC-3 change statements quickly and confidently.

IV. Monitor Threats Throughout the Life of the Loan
Once a lender has filed their UCC-1 Financing Statement, they will want to do all they can to maintain their priority position throughout the loan’s life. Lien monitoring programs run interval searches on debtor names to check for any new filing activity and then provide timely updates to alert a lender to potential threats.

The sooner a lender knows about a lien, the sooner they can act to protect their interests.

Following is a list of nationwide monitoring services offered by First Corporate Solutions.

• Liens: State and Federal Tax Liens, UCC1s and UCC3s, Judgment Liens
• Entity Verification: Change in Corporate Status or Address, Business Entity Change
• Bankruptcy: New cases at State Court, U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court
• Litigation: Learn if your client is getting sued

V. UCC Compliance Review
Perform regular reviews of your UCC portfolio and internal due diligence processes to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. This can include:

• Assessing the accuracy and completeness of filing documentation
• Verifying proper indexing of UCC records
• Maintaining proper documentation of UCC searches and filings

Compliance reviews help mitigate the risk of errors or oversights that could impact the lender’s security interest.

PRO TIP: Maintaining records across multiple jurisdictions can quickly become a nightmare of a task. Online UCC systems like FICOSO online allow on-demand access to portfolio-based reports to help lenders streamline compliance review.

In an economic downturn, lenders face increased challenges in managing risk. During these times, the Uniform Commercial Code plays an especially significant role in commercial lending.

By adopting these best practices and leveraging online UCC systems like FICOSO Online, lenders can enhance their risk mitigation efforts, streamline compliance, and navigate economic uncertainties with confidence. And in doing so, they can safeguard their interests and maintain stability during challenging economic times.