Equity Compensation Plan	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]
Equity Compensation Plan	NOTE 12. EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN 2014 Equity Compensation Plan We filed a registration statement on Form S-8 on August 5, 2014 to register up to an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock to be issued pursuant to the 2014 Equity Compensation Plan, or the 2014 Equity Plan. During the three months ended September 30, 2014, we issued 10,000 restricted stock units under the 2014 Equity Plan. In October 2005, our board of directors approved the grant of an aggregate of 200,780 shares of restricted stock to various officers under the 2004 Equity Compensation Plan. The stock price on the grant date was $7.72. The restricted stock vests 10% per year on each anniversary date for a ten-year period and shall also vest immediately upon the death of the grantee or upon the grantee reaching age 65. Each grantee shall have the right to sell 40% of the restricted stock any time after such shares have vested. The remaining 60% of such vested restricted stock may not be sold until after termination of employment with us. We amortize the restricted stock over the vesting period, which is the lesser of ten years or the remaining number of years to age 65. In October 2006, our board of directors approved a grant of an aggregate of 197,362 shares of performance-based restricted stock to various officers under the 2004 Equity Compensation Plan. Such grant was made effective on October 18, 2006. The closing stock price on the effective date of the grant was $9.12. The shares vest in equal annual installments over a three-year period provided that the annually compounded rate of return on our common stock, including dividends, exceeds 12% measured on an annual basis as of the anniversary date of the grant. If the annually compounded rate of return does not exceed 12%, then the shares will vest on the anniversary date thereafter when the annually compounded rate of return exceeds 12%. If the annually compounded rate of return does not exceed 12% within ten years after the effective date of the grant, then the shares will be forfeited. The shares will fully vest within the ten-year period upon the death of a grantee. Upon vesting, each grantee shall have the right to sell 40% of the restricted stock any time after such shares have vested. The remaining 60% of such vested restricted stock may not be sold, transferred or pledged until after termination of employment with us or upon the tenth anniversary of the effective date. We recognize the expense related to restricted stock over the ten-year vesting period. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, we expensed approximately $24 thousand and $72 thousand, respectively, related to these restricted stock grants. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we expensed approximately $51 thousand and $152 thousand, respectively, related to these restricted stock grants. At our May 24, 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, our stockholders adopted the Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan, or the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan. A dividend equivalent right, or DER, is a right to receive amounts equal in value to the dividend distributions paid on a share of our common stock. DERs are paid in either cash or shares of our common stock, whichever is specified by our Compensation Committee at the time of grant, at such times as dividends are paid on shares of our common stock during the period between the date a DER is issued and the date the DER expires or earlier terminates. The Compensation Committee may impose such other conditions to the grant of DERs as it may deem appropriate. The maximum term for DERs under the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan is ten years from the date of grant. Prior to January 1, 2012, an aggregate of 582,000 DERs were issued to our officers under the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan. These DERs are not attached to any stock and only have the right to receive the same cash distribution per common share distributed to our common stockholders during the term of the grant. All of these grants have a five-year term from the date of the grant. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, we paid or accrued $80 thousand and $243 thousand, respectively, related to DERs granted. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we paid or accrued $70 thousand and $245 thousand, respectively, related to DERs granted. Certain of our officers have previously been granted restricted stock and other equity incentive awards, including dividend equivalent rights, in connection with their service to us. In connection with the Externalization, certain of the agreements under which our officers have been granted equity awards were modified so that such agreements will continue with respect to our officers after they became officers and employees of the Manager. As a result, these awards and any future grants will be accounted for as non-employee awards. In addition, as officers of the Company and employees of the Manager, they will continue to be eligible to receive equity incentive awards under equity incentive plans in effect now or in the future. In accordance with the Externalization effective as of December 31, 2011, the DERs previously granted to all of our officers, with the exception of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, were terminated under the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan and were reissued under the 2004 Equity Plan with the same amounts, terms and conditions. The 2004 Equity Plan was subsequently replaced by the 2014 Equity Plan.

NOTE 12. EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

2014 Equity Compensation Plan

We filed a registration statement on Form S-8 on August 5, 2014 to register up to an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock to be issued pursuant to the 2014 Equity Compensation Plan, or the 2014 Equity Plan. During the three months ended September 30, 2014, we issued 10,000 restricted stock units under the 2014 Equity Plan.

In October 2005, our board of directors approved the grant of an aggregate of 200,780 shares of restricted stock to various officers under the 2004 Equity Compensation Plan. The stock price on the grant date was $7.72. The restricted stock vests 10% per year on each anniversary date for a ten-year period and shall also vest immediately upon the death of the grantee or upon the grantee reaching age 65. Each grantee shall have the right to sell 40% of the restricted stock any time after such shares have vested. The remaining 60% of such vested restricted stock may not be sold until after termination of employment with us. We amortize the restricted stock over the vesting period, which is the lesser of ten years or the remaining number of years to age 65.

In October 2006, our board of directors approved a grant of an aggregate of 197,362 shares of performance-based restricted stock to various officers under the 2004 Equity Compensation Plan. Such grant was made effective on October 18, 2006. The closing stock price on the effective date of the grant was $9.12. The shares vest in equal annual installments over a three-year period provided that the annually compounded rate of return on our common stock, including dividends, exceeds 12% measured on an annual basis as of the anniversary date of the grant. If the annually compounded rate of return does not exceed 12%, then the shares will vest on the anniversary date thereafter when the annually compounded rate of return exceeds 12%. If the annually compounded rate of return does not exceed 12% within ten years after the effective date of the grant, then the shares will be forfeited. The shares will fully vest within the ten-year period upon the death of a grantee. Upon vesting, each grantee shall have the right to sell 40% of the restricted stock any time after such shares have vested. The remaining 60% of such vested restricted stock may not be sold, transferred or pledged until after termination of employment with us or upon the tenth anniversary of the effective date.

We recognize the expense related to restricted stock over the ten-year vesting period. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, we expensed approximately $24 thousand and $72 thousand, respectively, related to these restricted stock grants. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we expensed approximately $51 thousand and $152 thousand, respectively, related to these restricted stock grants.

At our May 24, 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, our stockholders adopted the Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan, or the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan. A dividend equivalent right, or DER, is a right to receive amounts equal in value to the dividend distributions paid on a share of our common stock. DERs are paid in either cash or shares of our common stock, whichever is specified by our Compensation Committee at the time of grant, at such times as dividends are paid on shares of our common stock during the period between the date a DER is issued and the date the DER expires or earlier terminates. The Compensation Committee may impose such other conditions to the grant of DERs as it may deem appropriate. The maximum term for DERs under the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan is ten years from the date of grant. Prior to January 1, 2012, an aggregate of 582,000 DERs were issued to our officers under the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan. These DERs are not attached to any stock and only have the right to receive the same cash distribution per common share distributed to our common stockholders during the term of the grant. All of these grants have a five-year term from the date of the grant. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, we paid or accrued $80 thousand and $243 thousand, respectively, related to DERs granted. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we paid or accrued $70 thousand and $245 thousand, respectively, related to DERs granted.

Certain of our officers have previously been granted restricted stock and other equity incentive awards, including dividend equivalent rights, in connection with their service to us. In connection with the Externalization, certain of the agreements under which our officers have been granted equity awards were modified so that such agreements will continue with respect to our officers after they became officers and employees of the Manager. As a result, these awards and any future grants will be accounted for as non-employee awards. In addition, as officers of the Company and employees of the Manager, they will continue to be eligible to receive equity incentive awards under equity incentive plans in effect now or in the future. In accordance with the Externalization effective as of December 31, 2011, the DERs previously granted to all of our officers, with the exception of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, were terminated under the 2007 Dividend Equivalent Rights Plan and were reissued under the 2004 Equity Plan with the same amounts, terms and conditions. The 2004 Equity Plan was subsequently replaced by the 2014 Equity Plan.