Form: 4

Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities

August 8, 2011

SEC Form 4
FORM 4 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP


Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
FREYDBERG RONALD A
(Last) (First) (Middle)
C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
350 PARK AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR
(Street)
NEW YORK NY 10022
(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MFA FINANCIAL, INC. [ MFA ] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
Director 10% Owner
X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
07/01/2011
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share 08/08/2011 A 10,000 A $6.81 393,723 D
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year) 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Share (1) 07/01/2011 A 3,334 (2) (2) Common Stock 3,334 $0 147,459 D
Phantom Share (1) 07/01/2011 A 6,666 (3) (3) Phantom Share 6,666 $0 154,125 D
Explanation of Responses:
1. Each phantom share is the economic equivalent of one share of MFA's common stock, par value $0.01 per share.
2. These phantom shares are subject to forfeiture until June 30, 2014. One-third of these phantom shares shall vest on each of June 30, 2012, June 30, 2013 and June 30, 2014, and thereafter, are payable within 30 days of the date such phantom shares vest.
3. These phantom shares are subject to forfeiture until June 30, 2014. One-third of these phantom shares shall vest on each of June 30, 2012, June 30, 2013 and June 30, 2014 (subject, in each case, to MFA's achievement of specified performance goals), and thereafter, are payable within 30 days of the date such phantom shares vest.
Remarks:
/s/Ronald A. Freydberg 08/08/2011
** Signature of Reporting Person Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

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