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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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Knutson Craig L   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) 07/01/2011 (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, par value $0.01 per share 08/05/2011   P   4,000 A $ 7.2 184,260 I By 401(k)

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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 Share

(1)

07/01/2011

A

8,325

(2)

(2)

Common Stock

8,325

$ 0

90,075

D

Phantom Share

(1)

07/01/2011

A

16,675

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

16,675

$ 0

106,750

D

Reporting Owners

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

Signatures

/s/Craig L. Knutson		08/08/2011
**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)	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.

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