<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-10-17</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>1</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001045425</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RAIT Financial Trust</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RAS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001559072</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Silberstein Andrew Mark</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O RAIT FINANCIAL TRUST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2929 ARCH ST., 17TH FL.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PHILADELPHIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19104</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Trustee</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of October 1, 2012 among ARS VI Investor I, LLC (the &quot;Investor&quot;), the issuer, and certain subsidiaries of the issuer, the Investor may designate a trustee on the issuer's board of trustees.  The deputized trustee of the Investor is the reporting person, who serves on the issuer's board of trustees as the Investor's representative.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Anders F. Laren, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-10-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
