ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS	1. ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS Ladder Capital Corp is an internally-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that is a leader in commercial real estate finance. Ladder Capital Corp, as the general partner of Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP (“LCFH,” “Predecessor” or the “Operating Partnership”), operates the Ladder Capital business through LCFH and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2018, Ladder Capital Corp has a 88.8% economic interest in LCFH and controls the management of LCFH as a result of its ability to appoint its board members. Accordingly, Ladder Capital Corp consolidates the financial results of LCFH and records noncontrolling interest for the economic interest in LCFH held by the Continuing LCFH Limited Partners (as defined below). In addition, Ladder Capital Corp, through certain subsidiaries which are treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries (each a “TRS”), is indirectly subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. Other than the noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership and such indirect U.S. federal, state and local income taxes, there are no material differences between Ladder Capital Corp’s consolidated financial statements and LCFH’s consolidated financial statements. Ladder Capital Corp was formed as a Delaware corporation on May 21, 2013. The Company conducted an initial public offering (“IPO”) which closed on February 11, 2014. The Company used the net proceeds from the IPO to purchase newly issued limited partnership units (“LP Units”) from LCFH. In connection with the IPO, Ladder Capital Corp also became a holding corporation and the general partner of, and obtained a controlling interest in, LCFH. Ladder Capital Corp’s only business is to act as the general partner of LCFH, and, as such, Ladder Capital Corp indirectly operates and controls all of the business and affairs of LCFH and its subsidiaries through its ability to appoint the LCFH board. The proceeds received by LCFH in connection with the sale of the LP Units have been and will be used for loan origination and related real estate business lines and for general corporate purposes. The IPO transactions described herein are referred to as the “IPO Transactions.” In anticipation of the Company’s election to be subject to tax as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) beginning with its 2015 taxable year (the “REIT Election”), the Company effected an internal realignment as of December 31, 2014. As part of this realignment, LCFH and certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries were serialized in order to segregate our REIT-qualified assets and income from the Company’s non-REIT-qualified assets and income. Pursuant to such serialization, all assets and liabilities of LCFH and each such subsidiary were identified as TRS assets and liabilities (e.g., conduit securitization and condominium sales businesses) and REIT assets and liabilities (e.g., balance sheet loans, real estate and most securities), and were allocated on the Company’s internal books and records into two pools within LCFH or such subsidiary, Series TRS and Series REIT (collectively, the “Series”), respectively. Series REIT and Series TRS have separate boards, officers, books and records, bank accounts, and tax identification numbers. Each outstanding LP Unit was exchanged for one Series REIT limited partnership unit (“Series REIT LP Unit”), which is entitled to receive profits and losses derived from REIT assets and liabilities, and one Series TRS limited partnership unit (“Series TRS LP Unit”), which is entitled to receive profits and losses derived from TRS assets and liabilities (Series REIT LP Units and Series TRS LP Units are collectively referred to as “Series Units”). Ladder Capital Corp remains the general partner of Series REIT of LCFH. LC TRS I LLC (“LC TRS I”), a Delaware limited liability company wholly-owned by Series REIT of LCFH, serves as the general partner of Series TRS of LCFH and Series TRS LP Units are exchangeable for an equal number of shares (“TRS Shares”) of LC TRS I (a “TRS Exchange”). Ladder Capital Corp consolidates the financial results of LCFH and its subsidiaries. The ownership interest of certain existing owners of LCFH, who owned LP Units and an equivalent number of shares of Ladder Capital Corp Class B common stock as of the completion of the IPO (the “Continuing LCFH Limited Partners”) and continue to hold equivalent Series Units and Ladder Capital Corp Class B common stock, is reflected as a noncontrolling interest in Ladder Capital Corp’s consolidated financial statements. Pursuant to LCFH’s Third Amended and Restated LLLP Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2014 and as amended from time to time, and subject to the applicable minimum retained ownership requirements and certain other restrictions, including notice requirements, from time to time, Continuing LCFH Limited Partners (or certain transferees thereof) may from time to time, subject to certain conditions, receive one share of the Company’s Class A common stock in exchange for (i) one share of the Company’s Class B common stock, (ii) one Series REIT LP Unit and (iii) either one Series TRS LP Unit or one TRS Share, subject to equitable adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications. However, such exchange for shares of Ladder Capital Corp Class A common stock will not affect the exchanging owners’ voting power since the votes represented by the canceled shares of Ladder Capital Corp Class B common stock will be replaced with the votes represented by the shares of Class A common stock for which such Series Units, including TRS Shares as applicable, will be exchanged. As a result of the Company’s ownership interest in LCFH and LCFH’s election under Section 754 of the Code, the Company expects to benefit from depreciation and other tax deductions reflecting LCFH’s tax basis for its assets. Those deductions will be allocated to the Company and will be taken into account in reporting the Company’s taxable income. As of March 4, 2015, the Company made the necessary TRS and check-the-box elections began to elect to be taxed as a REIT starting with its tax return for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed in September 2016.

1. ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS

Ladder Capital Corp is an internally-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that is a leader in commercial real estate finance. Ladder Capital Corp, as the general partner of Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP (“LCFH,” “Predecessor” or the “Operating Partnership”), operates the Ladder Capital business through LCFH and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2018, Ladder Capital Corp has a 88.8% economic interest in LCFH and controls the management of LCFH as a result of its ability to appoint its board members. Accordingly, Ladder Capital Corp consolidates the financial results of LCFH and records noncontrolling interest for the economic interest in LCFH held by the Continuing LCFH Limited Partners (as defined below). In addition, Ladder Capital Corp, through certain subsidiaries which are treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries (each a “TRS”), is indirectly subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. Other than the noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership and such indirect U.S. federal, state and local income taxes, there are no material differences between Ladder Capital Corp’s consolidated financial statements and LCFH’s consolidated financial statements.

Ladder Capital Corp was formed as a Delaware corporation on May 21, 2013. The Company conducted an initial public offering (“IPO”) which closed on February 11, 2014. The Company used the net proceeds from the IPO to purchase newly issued limited partnership units (“LP Units”) from LCFH. In connection with the IPO, Ladder Capital Corp also became a holding corporation and the general partner of, and obtained a controlling interest in, LCFH. Ladder Capital Corp’s only business is to act as the general partner of LCFH, and, as such, Ladder Capital Corp indirectly operates and controls all of the business and affairs of LCFH and its subsidiaries through its ability to appoint the LCFH board. The proceeds received by LCFH in connection with the sale of the LP Units have been and will be used for loan origination and related real estate business lines and for general corporate purposes. The IPO transactions described herein are referred to as the “IPO Transactions.”

In anticipation of the Company’s election to be subject to tax as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) beginning with its 2015 taxable year (the “REIT Election”), the Company effected an internal realignment as of December 31, 2014. As part of this realignment, LCFH and certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries were serialized in order to segregate our REIT-qualified assets and income from the Company’s non-REIT-qualified assets and income. Pursuant to such serialization, all assets and liabilities of LCFH and each such subsidiary were identified as TRS assets and liabilities (e.g., conduit securitization and condominium sales businesses) and REIT assets and liabilities (e.g., balance sheet loans, real estate and most securities), and were allocated on the Company’s internal books and records into two pools within LCFH or such subsidiary, Series TRS and Series REIT (collectively, the “Series”), respectively. Series REIT and Series TRS have separate boards, officers, books and records, bank accounts, and tax identification numbers. Each outstanding LP Unit was exchanged for one Series REIT limited partnership unit (“Series REIT LP Unit”), which is entitled to receive profits and losses derived from REIT assets and liabilities, and one Series TRS limited partnership unit (“Series TRS LP Unit”), which is entitled to receive profits and losses derived from TRS assets and liabilities (Series REIT LP Units and Series TRS LP Units are collectively referred to as “Series Units”). Ladder Capital Corp remains the general partner of Series REIT of LCFH. LC TRS I LLC (“LC TRS I”), a Delaware limited liability company wholly-owned by Series REIT of LCFH, serves as the general partner of Series TRS of LCFH and Series TRS LP Units are exchangeable for an equal number of shares (“TRS Shares”) of LC TRS I (a “TRS Exchange”).

Ladder Capital Corp consolidates the financial results of LCFH and its subsidiaries. The ownership interest of certain existing owners of LCFH, who owned LP Units and an equivalent number of shares of Ladder Capital Corp Class B common stock as of the completion of the IPO (the “Continuing LCFH Limited Partners”) and continue to hold equivalent Series Units and Ladder Capital Corp Class B common stock, is reflected as a noncontrolling interest in Ladder Capital Corp’s consolidated financial statements.

Pursuant to LCFH’s Third Amended and Restated LLLP Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2014 and as amended from time to time, and subject to the applicable minimum retained ownership requirements and certain other restrictions, including notice requirements, from time to time, Continuing LCFH Limited Partners (or certain transferees thereof)

may from time to time, subject to certain conditions, receive one share of the Company’s Class A common stock in exchange for (i) one share of the Company’s Class B common stock, (ii) one Series REIT LP Unit and (iii) either one Series TRS LP Unit or one TRS Share, subject to equitable adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications. However, such exchange for shares of Ladder Capital Corp Class A common stock will not affect the exchanging owners’ voting power since the votes represented by the canceled shares of Ladder Capital Corp Class B common stock will be replaced with the votes represented by the shares of Class A common stock for which such Series Units, including TRS Shares as applicable, will be exchanged.

As a result of the Company’s ownership interest in LCFH and LCFH’s election under Section 754 of the Code, the Company expects to benefit from depreciation and other tax deductions reflecting LCFH’s tax basis for its assets. Those deductions will be allocated to the Company and will be taken into account in reporting the Company’s taxable income.

As of March 4, 2015, the Company made the necessary TRS and check-the-box elections began to elect to be taxed as a REIT starting with its tax return for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed in September 2016.