CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION (Parenthetical) - USD ($)		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Allowance for credit losses		$ 122,000	$ 180,000
Stockholders' Equity:
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)		236,883,020	230,556,760
Common stock, shares outstanding (shares)		236,883,020	230,556,760
Assets	[1]	$ 16,004,224,000	$ 17,523,019,000
Liabilities	[1]	12,155,676,000	13,743,633,000
Variable Interest Entities, Primary Beneficiary
Stockholders' Equity:
Assets		10,865,801,000	12,165,017,000
Liabilities		7,400,498,000	8,063,110,000
Non-Agency RMBS
Allowance for credit losses		122,000	180,000
Non-Agency RMBS | Variable Interest Entities, Primary Beneficiary
Allowance for credit losses			117,000
Repurchase Agreements
Liabilities:
Securities pledged as collateral		5,018,442,000	6,696,214,000
Repurchase Agreements | Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities
Liabilities:
Securities pledged as collateral		5,000,000,000	6,700,000,000
Securitized Loans | Non-Agency RMBS
Liabilities:
Securities pledged as collateral		424,000,000	505,000,000
Securitized Loans | Loans Held for Investment at Fair Value
Liabilities:
Securities pledged as collateral		$ 11,300,000,000	$ 12,400,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock
Stockholders' Equity:
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
Stockholders' Equity:
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
Stockholders' Equity:
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
Stockholders' Equity:
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

[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 September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, total assets of consolidated VIEs were $10,865,801 and $12,165,017, respectively, and total liabilities of consolidated VIEs were $7,400,498 and $8,063,110, respectively. See Note 9 for further discussion.