Big news in the world of UCC! The International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA) has upgraded the national UCC forms. The primary focus of these updates lies in enhancing the instruction pages, making it easier for users to navigate and complete the forms accurately.
It’s important to note that most states are currently accepting both the current and new forms; however, the transition process varies from state to state. With the end of a quarter quickly approaching, more states are beginning to phase out the older edition of the UCC forms. Additionally, there are a handful of states that are choosing to reject the new form altogether for now.
We are tracking all of the changes so you don’t have to! You can find the latest UCC forms, along with the older version, by visiting our UCC Forms Library on our website. There, you will also find a chart summarizing which form will be accepted in each state. Our self-service UCC filing platform, UCC Filing Manager, has been updated to automatically use the preferred form of each state. UCC Filing Manager will not only help you avoid rejection pitfalls from using outdated forms, but by utilizing e-filing and auto-continuation notices, you can lower your costs, have a faster turnaround time, and receive notice prior to the lapse of a financing statement.
As always, reach out to your favorite Capitol Services UCC filing specialist or [email protected] for additional information.
The Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) reporting requirements, effective January 1, 2024, will impact most companies across the country. However, many companies remain unaware of their new reporting obligations.
Key Questions for Companies
As the effective date approaches, companies should consider several key questions.
Am I exempt from filing a beneficial ownership report (“BOI Report”) with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”)?
Who are my beneficial owners?
Who are my company applicants?
Our Plan
We will be offering BOI Report filings as a product to our clients and are building a secure system that clients will use to upload their information for the filings. We will inform clients of our pricing for the filings in the fourth quarter of this year.
Legislative Trends
Two pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress that, if passed, would impact the implementation of the CTA: the Protecting Small Business Information Act of 2023 and the Protect Small Business and Prevent Illicit Financial Activity Act.
Additionally, there is a growing movement among states to require companies to report beneficial ownership information in ways similar to the CTA. The New York legislature has passed the LLC Transparency Act which will require LLCs to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of State. Similar legislation has been introduced in California and Massachusetts.
We will continue to keep you up to date on the CTA and the legislative trends. For more information, visit our CTA resource page.
For this issue’s Did You Know?, we thought we’d switch it up a bit to give you valuable insight from a client’s perspective on their decision to invest in our Annual Report Management Service (ARMS).
Here’s some Q&A with Capitol Services’ ARMS client Kim M.:
Q: What was life like before enrolling in Annual Report Management Service (ARMS)?
Unorganized. We would file the reports when we got past-due notices.
Q: How has ARMS affected you and your company?
We’ve been able to get our reporting organized with visibility in one place.
Q: How much time would you say that ARMS saves you?
I couldn’t even imagine. With the number of companies we have, it would be a part-time job! Or a full-time job!
Q: What’s it like working with our ARMS team?
It’s great! Everybody is very prompt with their questions in all situations so our filings are made efficiently and on time. The stuff that needs to get done gets done; the ARMS team has been very flexible with our 3rd parties and they keep me on top of everything.
Q: Any unexpected benefits you’ve experienced with ARMS?
I feel more organized when we go into business deals knowing that we’re always in good standing.
Q: What’s one reason you’d recommend ARMS to your colleagues?
I like working with the team. The customer service is wonderful; super-helpful. We’re not just another number; if it’s important to me, it’s important to you guys. And that doesn’t always happen in today’s day.
Q: What would you say to a client who might be considering ARMS?
Do it. Yes, it costs money, but there’s always a cost — it’s whether you want to pay someone on your staff to do it, and not always have the security of them knowing what they’re doing. If it’s not right, you’ll have late fees and more costs to get back into good standing. So there’s always a cost — ARMS is absolutely worth it.
To experience how ARMS can make your life easier, reach out today for a quote.
Photo Left: Tom Woodrome with Lisa Stone. Photo Right: Jennifer Woodrome with Kai Williamson.
Territory Sales Manager Tom Woodrome and Director of Operations Jennifer Woodrome attended the National Association of Legal Assistants’ 3-day conference in Boston, Massachusetts July 12-14. This event consistently offers a great lineup of speakers, CLE sessions, and networking opportunities, and this year was no different.
DALLAS CLIENT RECEPTION
Photo Left (L–R): Vanessa Rivera and Veronica Reyes. Photo Right (L–R): Brittany Johnson, Kevin Roberts, and Kristi Solt.
On July 27 Kevin Roberts, Annie Roberts, Kristi Solt, Krista Abair, and Sergio Padilla attended our Dallas client reception hosted at Jalisco Norte. We absolutely love connecting with our clients, and this opportunity is always a blast! More photos from the event can be found here.
AAPi
Territory Sales Manager Cindy Wamsley had the pleasure of attending the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc.’s annual meeting and summer conference August 4-5 in Orange Beach, Alabama. This conference covered data preservation and ethics, among other relevant topics.
Right: Cindy Wamsley with Peonca Grier.
SERGIO PADILLA
2019 · Austin · Corporate
What’s your current role at Capitol Services?
I am a client service representative with the Corporate team. I handle Texas filings as well as nationwide filings, document retrievals, apostilles, and legalization requests.
On my first day at Capitol Services, I will never forget…
How friendly everyone was. Lunch at the breakroom felt like a lunch with friends catching up and having a good time.
Which do you like more: a really good book or a great movie?
I have to meet in the middle and say a really good limited series! Limited series tend to do right by the book and give the viewer more insight and details than a 90-minute movie does. If the series has 10 episodes, each 1 hour long, it’s like watching a 10-hour movie based on a book!
If you could have anything named after you, what would it be?
It’s a tie between a plate of food and a soccer stadium.
JEN SWANTEK
2023 · Austin · Corporate
What’s your current role at Capitol Services?
I am our correspondent coordinator and a client service representative. I have been in the industry for almost 17 years cumulatively; I have previously been an operations manager for a smaller firm, as well as a publications manager, and have done everything from sales to accounting, UCC to annual report management, and — my favorite — corporate work. I have served on the board of directors for the National Public Records Research Association (NPRRA) for the past 4 years, the last 2 of which I have been president. I am starting to feel like an old-timer in the industry!
On my first day at Capitol Services, I will never forget…
How welcoming everyone was and really remains to be, still today. As I am still relatively new to Capitol, I am still meeting and interacting with our team. It is a very warm and welcoming work environment.
Which do you like more: a really good book or a great movie?
I love a good book that I can’t put down. A movie is wonderful, but the picture story in your mind’s eye from a good book can’t be topped.
If you could have anything named after you, what would it be?
I’ve recently grown to appreciate gemstones courtesy of my partner, who has an eye for them, and he has turned me into a “gem head”! I’d love to have a beautiful gemstone named after me.
Krista Abair (Austin — Corporate) and Matt Helm exchanged vows surrounded by family and friends in an outdoor ceremony held on March 25 at Duchman Family Winery in Driftwood, Texas, followed by a honeymoon in Sonoma County, California. Their family includes 2 cats and a newly adopted dog.
WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES
Austin
Our Corporate department welcomes Wendy Reed to the group. Born in Corpus Christi, Wendy made her way to central Texas by way of Texas State University. Her family includes her husband of 26 years and their 25-year-old son, who is currently playing semi-pro baseball for the DFW Ravages. While their household has previously included everything from Burmese pythons to hedgehogs, they currently have 2 hound dogs, Wilson and Fungo. Wendy typically enjoys gardening in her downtime, but 2023’s sweltering heat has forced her to concede defeat!
Our UCC Research team is stoked by the addition of Lacey Hartle, who comes armed with a degree in Forensic Science from St. Edward’s University, making her well-versed in thorough data research. This Austin native enjoys writing, gardening, and spending time with her 4-year-old Corgi in her free time. Her most recent vacation included a trip to Chicago, Illinois, to visit her sister, and her favorite food is popcorn!
Roxana Herrera joins our ARMS team with a strong background in customer service with a penchant for details. Originally from Longview, Texas, she moved to Austin almost 20 years ago to be closer to her brother’s family to help care for her nieces. She loves beaches and being around the water; her last trip was an adventure to Grand Cayman Island, where she plans to return soon. Roxana is a self-admitted homebody, but a good Marvel movie or dinner with friends and family is guaranteed to get her out of the house.
Rodney Waller joins our Corporate team armed with 20+ years of corporate compliance experience. Originally from Oklahoma, he served 4 years in the U.S. Army before making his home in Dallas, where he’s been for the last 20 years. Together, he and his partner have 2 children, Alexis (18) and Zack (16), and a Pit bull mixed-breed dog named Zoobey Doo, who they rescued from a local animal shelter. He loves to travel! They escape to Cancun twice annually and make it a point to visit a new destination at least once a year. Prague is slated for 2024!
Our Registered Agent crew is joined by Brittany Foyle who brings a vast skillset pertaining to records management, making her a perfect fit as a service of process specialist for our Registered Agent team. She enjoys spending time with her 13-year-old Chihuahua, Dottie, and the rest of her free time is spent on crafting hobbies and video games. She frequents local stand-up comedy shows and recently had the opportunity to meet her favorite comedian, Nick Mullen. Fun fact: her family is originally from the U.K. and she’s named after her dad’s home country of Great Britain!
Baton Rouge
Our long-time clients may remember Robin Blair, who previously worked with us from 1995-2007. Robin’s family includes her husband of 29 years, Wade, son, Noah (21), and their dog, Gracie, who was adopted locally from a shelter. Robin and her husband are dedicated LSU season ticket holders and enjoy the away games just as much as the home ones. GEAUX TIGERS! Office mates be warned: this girl has been known to execute a good practical joke when the mood strikes!
Dover
Our Dover office has welcomed Christy Oldham on as a receptionist. Christy’s household consists of her husband of 23 years, Jeff, and their 2 sons, Ethan and Riley — and we can’t forget to mention their 4 dogs and cat! She absolutely loves reading, kayaking, and a good hike in the woods. After dedicating the past 8 years of her time to her family, she’s excited to be back in the workforce again, and we’re excited to have her.
Rachel Sandy also joins us having served as a public board member with the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation. Hobbies include reading, retail therapy, and spending time with friends, family, and her canine fur-child, Gretchen the Schnoodle. She also loves basking in a beautiful day from the pier as her husband of 4 years, John, does some fishing. A memorable experience includes the time when she and a friend dipped into a restaurant to take advantage of $1 lobsters, which she assumed would be tiny lobster tails. They were wrong! She and her friend each got perfectly steamed, whole lobsters. So what did she do? Ordered 4 more and took them home for her husband!
LIFE OUTSIDE
Valeria Villarreal
Photo: Valeria Villarreal circa 1990.
Photo: Valeria Villarreal circa 2011.
It’s been a year of memorable goodbyes for our Austin office as our beloved tenured employees who have been with us from our humble beginning earn their retirement status. From colleagues to clients to county clerks, anyone who has encountered Valeria Villarreal during her 38 years with Capitol Services has left the conversation feeling more at ease. Leading with kindness and compassion, she just has that impact on people.
Val originally joined us in 1985 as a former client who had recently relocated to Austin. She stepped away in February and is still learning to adjust to daily life outside of an office; while she misses her friends and clients, she is grateful for the opportune timing to be able to care for her elderly mother. Upcoming adventures include to a trip to Italy with her husband, Homer, and spending more time with her grandchildren.
Her advice to others is practical: take advantage of company benefits such as 401(k) plans when able because time flies, and as she says, “retirement will be knocking at your door before you know it”.
EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES
We’d like to give a big shout-out to the following employees who are celebrating 5 or more years with the Capitol Services group of companies this quarter. Thank you!
Pauline Butler
8/24/1992
Austin
Donna Quickenton
8/18/1997
Albany
Natalie Holmes
8/03/1998
Albany
Bobbie Marmolejo
7/12/1999
Austin
Leigh Johnson
8/01/1999
Sacramento
Mary Ybarra
9/27/2004
Austin
Mary Ann Quick
9/01/2005
Austin
Jason Brantley
7/16/2007
Austin
Annie Roberts
8/13/2007
Austin
Gerianne Lawrence
9/01/2007
Austin
Janine Bequette
7/25/2011
Dover
Sadi Boyette
8/10/2011
Dover
Lynette Bass
9/26/2011
Baton Rouge
Kay Crawford
9/03/2013
Austin
Jason Fischer
9/11/2013
Austin
Jessica Davis
7/15/2014
Dover
Landon Russell
7/16/2014
Austin
Steve Elias
7/06/2015
Sacramento
Anna Cox
8/02/2015
Austin
Winter Gordon
8/10/2015
Baton Rouge
Brian Radecki
8/18/2015
Austin
Alicia Pacey
9/08/2015
Austin
Kathryn Ball
9/14/2015
Austin
Stephanie Herget
9/14/2015
Carson City
Sasha Stevic
8/14/2017
Austin
Kim Tadlock
8/27/2017
Tallahassee
Stephanie Denny
7/18/2018
Carson City
Kathy Ballard
9/17/2018
Dover
ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ
Logo without “cell service” on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco’s former maximum security federal penitentiary.
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Need assistance on a late-day, time-sensitive order? Don’t fret! Take advantage of our newly extended after-hours of 7:00p – 10:00p Eastern by emailing your request directly through [email protected] or by calling 800.907.2380, and relax knowing that a representative is ready to assist.
“I just love working with you and everyone at Capitol Services! You make everything so easy.”
— Andrea T. – Richmond, VA
Sadi Shines On:
“I LOVE working with Sadi in Delaware, she’s a gem!!”
— Debbi M. – Houston, TX
General Awesomeness:
“I really enjoy working with your awesome team! All have been very professional and courteous…I am well pleased with the turn-around time on my orders. Packages are always neat and complete. Thank you, again, for making our work life a little easier!”
— Renee P. – Birmingham, AL
A trusted nationwide provider of registered agent, corporate, and lien services since 1978. Albany | Austin | Baton Rouge | Carson City | Dover | Sacramento | Tallahassee
