CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Total		Preferred stock	Common stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Deficit		Accumulated Deficit Impact of adopting CECL	Accumulated Deficit CECL provision, adjusted balance	Total Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interest
Beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018				$ 1,778,168	$ 13,138	$ 18,794,331	$ (1,979,865)	$ (4,493,660)					$ 5,689
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based award activity					0	178
Issuance					1,342	1,317,475
Direct purchase and dividend reinvestment		$ 892			1	891
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities		1,599,398					1,599,398
Reclassification adjustment for net (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		61,091					61,091
Net income (loss) attributable to Annaly		(849,150)						(849,150)
Dividends declared on preferred stock	[1]							(32,494)
Dividends and dividend equivalents declared on common stock and share-based awards		(434,627)						(434,627)	[1]
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		101											(101)
Equity contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interest													(361)
End of period at Mar. 31, 2019		15,781,444		1,778,168	14,481	20,112,875	(319,376)	(5,809,931)				$ 15,776,217	5,227
Beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		15,796,344	[2]	1,982,026	14,301	19,966,923	2,138,191	(8,309,424)		$ (39,641)	$ (8,349,065)		4,327
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based award activity					3	1,449
Issuance					0	0
Direct purchase and dividend reinvestment		0			0	0
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities		1,374,796					1,374,796
Reclassification adjustment for net (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		(391,616)					(391,616)
Net income (loss) attributable to Annaly		(3,640,255)						(3,640,255)
Dividends declared on preferred stock	[1]							(35,509)
Dividends and dividend equivalents declared on common stock and share-based awards		(357,819)						(357,819)	[1]
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		(66)											66
Equity contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interest													(288)
End of period at Mar. 31, 2020		$ 12,707,530		$ 1,982,026	$ 14,304	$ 19,968,372	$ 3,121,371	$ (12,382,648)				$ 12,703,425	$ 4,105

[1] See Note titled “Capital Stock” for dividends per share for each class of shares.

[2] Derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2019.