CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION (Parenthetical) - USD ($)		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets	[1]	$ 18,448,151,000	$ 27,118,671,000
Liabilities	[1]	15,052,272,000	23,165,378,000
Allowance for credit losses		$ 1,817,000	$ 0
Preferred stock, par value (usd per share)		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized (shares)		100,000,000	100,000,000
Common stock, par value (usd per share)		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized (shares)		500,000,000	500,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (shares)		232,003,526	187,226,081
Common stock, shares outstanding (shares)		232,003,526	187,226,081
Non-Agency RMBS
Allowance for credit losses		$ 2,000,000	$ 0
Repurchase Agreements
Securities pledged as collateral		7,439,374,000	15,399,244,000
Repurchase Agreements | Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities
Securities pledged as collateral		7,800,000,000	15,400,000,000
Securitized Loans | Non-Agency RMBS
Securities pledged as collateral		524,000,000	598,000,000
Securitized Loans | Loans Held for Investment at Fair Value
Securities pledged as collateral		$ 12,200,000,000	$ 12,100,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, dividend rate (percent)		8.00%	8.00%
Preferred stock, shares issued (shares)		5,800,000	5,800,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (shares)		5,800,000	5,800,000
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference		$ 145,000	$ 145,000
Series B Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, dividend rate (percent)		8.00%	8.00%
Preferred stock, shares issued (shares)		13,000,000	13,000,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (shares)		13,000,000	13,000,000
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference		$ 325,000	$ 325,000
Series C Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, dividend rate (percent)		7.75%	7.75%
Preferred stock, shares issued (shares)		10,400,000	10,400,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (shares)		10,400,000	10,400,000
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference		$ 260,000	$ 260,000
Series D Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, dividend rate (percent)		8.00%	8.00%
Preferred stock, shares issued (shares)		8,000,000	8,000,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (shares)		8,000,000	8,000,000
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference		$ 200,000	$ 200,000
Variable Interest Entities, Primary Beneficiary
Assets		12,578,835,000	12,544,744,000
Liabilities		8,431,077,000	$ 8,064,235,000
Variable Interest Entities, Primary Beneficiary | Non-Agency RMBS
Allowance for credit losses		$ 216,000

[1] The Company's consolidated statements of financial condition include assets of consolidated variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle obligations and liabilities of the VIE for which creditors do not have recourse to the primary beneficiary (Chimera Investment Corporation). As of June 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, total assets of consolidated VIEs were $12,578,835 and $12,544,744, respectively, and total liabilities of consolidated VIEs were $8,431,077 and $8,064,235, respectively. See Note 8 for further discussion.