Schedule of Carrying Amounts and Classifications of CFE's Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Collateralized Securities Transactions [Line Items]
Mortgage loans held for investment in securitization trusts, at fair value		$ 226,908
Total assets	[1]	16,137,526	$ 18,516,800
Collateralized borrowings in securitization trusts		57,611
Accrued interest payable		4,938	6,968
Other liabilities		27,870	6,850
Total liabilities	[1]	13,994,169	$ 16,096,004
CFE
Collateralized Securities Transactions [Line Items]
Mortgage loans held for investment in securitization trusts, at fair value		225,285
Accrued interest receivable and other assets		2,955
Total assets		228,240
Collateralized borrowings in securitization trusts		57,611
Accrued interest payable		133
Other liabilities		40
Total liabilities		$ 57,784

[1] The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 includes $227,444 of assets of a consolidated collateralized financing entity (“CFE”) that can only be used to settle obligations of the CFE as well as liabilities of $57,784 of the CFE for which creditors do not have recourse to Hatteras Financial Corp