Company: MFAN
Filing Date: 2025-04-18
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001140361-25-014577
Chunk: 114

Company: MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-04-18
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 114
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 Company’s interests. Section 409A. Section 409A of the Code imposes requirements on deferred compensation, including deferral election and payment timing requirements. If a deferred compensation arrangement fails to comply with Code section 409A in form or operation, a participant may become subject to: (i) federal income tax on all deferred amounts; (ii) a penalty tax of 20% of the includable amount; and (iii) interest at the underpayment rate plus 1%. Section 280G. Under certain circumstances, the accelerated vesting or exercise of stock options or stock appreciation rights or the accelerated lapse of restrictions with respect to other grants in connection with a Change of Control might be deemed an “excess parachute payment” for purposes of the golden parachute tax provisions of section 280G of the Code. To the extent it is so considered, the participant may be subject to a 20% excise tax and we may be denied a federal income tax deduction. Tax Withholding. Each participant must pay to us, or make satisfactory arrangements regarding the payment of, any federal, state or local taxes required to be withheld in connection with any grant under the Amended Plan. The Compensation Committee may require that the participant’s tax withholding obligation with respect to grants paid in Common Stock be satisfied by withholding Common Stock otherwise payable pursuant to the grant. The Compensation Committee may allow a participant to elect to have the participant’s tax withholding obligation satisfied by withholding shares otherwise payable pursuant to the grant, by transferring shares owned by the participant to us or, for participants who are employees, by withholding from the participant’s cash compensation.

| MFA Financial, Inc. | 88 | 2025 Proxy Statement |

TABLE OF CONTENTS

New Plan Benefits Future grants under the Amended Plan generally will be granted at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Additionally, no awards have been made under the Amended Plan that are contingent upon stockholder approval of the Amended Plan. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the benefits or amounts that will be received by or allocated to participants under the Amended Plan. The grants made to each of the persons or groups described in the below table under the Existing Plan during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, valued as of the grant date, were as follows:

| Name and Position                                                                                 |     |     Stock 
 Awards(1) 
       (#) |     |    Grant Date 
 Fair Value($) |
| Craig L. Knutson                                                                                  |     |   372,944 |