MFO MFA Financial Inc

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                                                                                   
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
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 * JOSEPHS ROBIN	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MFA FINANCIAL, INC. [ MFA ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director                    _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC., 350 PARK AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 5/4/2020
(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, par value $0.01 per share	5/4/2020		A		22727 (1)	A	$1.65	105913	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

Explanation of Responses:

(1)

The reported acquisition represents shares granted to the Reporting Person in lieu of cash fees payable to the Reporting Person for her service as a Director for the first calendar quarter of 2020. Pursuant to the terms of the Second Forbearance Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2020, by and among MFA Financial, Inc. (the "Company") and certain of its repurchase agreement financing counterparties, the Company is contractually prohibited from paying cash fees to its Directors for such period.

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

Signatures
/s/ Harold E. Schwartz, by power of attorney		5/5/2020
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date