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
                                                                                  
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
                      

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

Schwartz Harold E 		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)
Senior Vice President
(Last)          (First)          (Middle)

C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC., 350 PARK AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR 		3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY)

1/13/2017
(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10022
(City)        (State)        (Zip)
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

 
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. Trans. Date 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 3. Trans. 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   1/13/2017     M (1)    10000   A $0   (2) 43131   D    
Common Stock   1/13/2017     M (3)    22663   A $0   (2) 65794   D    
Common Stock   1/13/2017     F (4)    16701   D $7.83   49093   D    

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Trans. Date 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 4. Trans. 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 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 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) 1/13/2017     M   (5)       10000    1/13/2017   1/13/2017   Common Stock   10000     (5) 75000   D    
Phantom Shares     (6) 1/13/2017     M   (6)       10000   (7) (8)   1/13/2017   1/13/2017   Common Stock   10000   (7) (8)   (6) 65000   D    

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)  Shares acquired pursuant to the settlement of time-based restricted stock units (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in January 2014.
( 2)  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.
( 3)  Shares acquired in connection with the settlement of performance-based restricted stock units (i.e., phantom stock) ("PRSUs") granted to the Reporting Person in January 2014 as discussed in Notes 6, 7 and 8 below. The number of shares reported includes 5,423 shares representing the settlement (in the form of additional shares of common stock) of dividend equivalents that accrued during the three-year performance period ended December 31, 2016 in respect of the PRSUs that vested and whose settlement is reported herein.
( 4)  The reported disposition represents the surrender of shares to satisfy tax obligations arising from the settlement of phantom shares described in Notes 1 and 3 above.
( 5)  Settlement of time-based restricted stock units (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in January 2014. 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.
( 6)  Settlement of performance-based restricted stock units (i.e., phantom stock) ("PRSUs") granted to the Reporting Person in January 2014. 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.
( 7)  The number of PRSUs reported in Table II represents the target number of PRSUs that were granted to the reporting person in January 2014. Per the terms of the award agreement governing the PRSUs, the number of underlying shares of MFA common stock that the recipient ultimately became entitled to receive at the time of vesting ranged from 0% to 200% of the target number of PRSUs granted, subject to the achievement of a pre-established performance metric. The vesting of these PRSUs was based on MFA's total stockholder return for the three years ended December 31, 2016.
( 8)  The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of MFA Financial, Inc. has confirmed and certified that the PRSUs vested at a level above target, as reflected in Table I above (see Note 3). In addition, per the terms of the award agreement governing the PRSUs, the number of PRSUs that vested was adjusted to reflect the value of any dividends paid on MFA's common stock during the performance period in respect of the number of PRSUs that ultimately vested.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address
Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Schwartz Harold E
C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
350 PARK AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10022

Senior Vice President

Signatures
/s/ Harold E. Schwartz 1/18/2017
** 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.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.
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