FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * FREYDBERG RONALD A   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 (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC., 350 PARK AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/31/2015 (Street) NEW YORK, NY 10022 4. If Amendment, Date 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 (City) (State) (Zip) 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 12/31/2015   F(1)   428 D $ 6.6 496,222 D   Common Stock 01/04/2016   M(2)   44,000 A $ 0 (3) 540,222 D   Common Stock 01/04/2016   M(2)   22,000 A $ 0 (3) 562,222 D   Common Stock 01/04/2016   F(4)   22,850 D $ 6.75 539,372 D

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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 Underlying Securities (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 of Derivative Security: 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 Shares

(5)

01/04/2016

M(5)

44,000

01/04/2016

01/04/2016

Common Stock

44,000

(5)

63,357

D

Phantom Shares

(5)

01/04/2016

M(5)

22,000

01/04/2016

01/04/2016

Common Stock

22,000

(5)

43,357

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
FREYDBERG RONALD A C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC. 350 PARK AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10022			Executive Vice President

Signatures

/s/ Ronald A. Freydberg		01/05/2016
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	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).
(1)	The reported disposition represents the surrender of shares to satisfy tax obligations arising from the vesting of restricted stock previously granted to the Reporting Person.
(2)	Shares acquired pursuant to the settlement of restricted stock units (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in December 2010.
(3)	Each phantom share is the economic equivalent of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc. Each phantom share was settled in one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc.
(4)	The reported disposition represents the surrender of shares to satisfy tax obligations arising from the settlement of phantom shares described in Note 2 above.
(5)	Settlement of time-based and performance-based phantom shares granted to the Reporting Person in December 2010. Each phantom share is the economic equivalent of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc. Each phantom share was settled in one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc.

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