Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (3)

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	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 ^*

Wald Richard C.

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 6/10/2020

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

MFA FINANCIAL, INC. [MFA]

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC., 350 PARK AVENUE - 20TH FLOOR

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)

(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10022

(City) (State) (Zip)

5. 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share	0	D
7.5% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	0	D
6.5% Series C Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cum Redeem Pfd Stk	0	D
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share	0	I	N/A
7.5% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	0	I	N/A
6.5% Series C Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cum Redeem Pfd Stk	0	I	N/A

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)*
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)

Explanation of Responses:

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