Consolidations and Transfers of Financial Assets (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017
Consolidations and Transfers of Financial Assets [Abstract]
Consolidations, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We have interests in various entities that are considered to be VIEs. The primary types of entities are securitization trusts and limited partnerships. These interests include investments in securities issued by VIEs, such as Fannie Mae MBS created pursuant to our securitization transactions and our guaranty to the entity. We consolidate the substantial majority of our single-class securitization trusts because our role as guarantor and master servicer provides us with the power to direct matters (primarily the servicing of mortgage loans) that impact the credit risk to which we are exposed. In contrast, we do not consolidate single-class securitization trusts when other organizations have the power to direct these activities. Unconsolidated VIEs We do not consolidate VIEs when we are not deemed to be the primary beneficiary. Our unconsolidated VIEs include securitization trusts and limited partnerships.
Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Transfers of Financial Assets We issue Fannie Mae MBS through portfolio securitization transactions by transferring pools of mortgage loans or mortgage-related securities to one or more trusts or special purpose entities. We are considered to be the transferor when we transfer assets from our own retained mortgage portfolio in a portfolio securitization transaction.

Disclosure of accounting policy for transfers and servicing financial assets, including securitization transactions as well as repurchase and resale agreements. This disclosure may include how the entity (1) determines whether a transaction is accounted for as a sale; (2) accounts for a sale transaction, including the initial and subsequent accounting for any interests that the entity obtains or continues to hold in the transaction, how such interests are valued, and the significant assumptions used in the valuation; (3) accounts for a transaction that does not qualify for sale treatment (that is, a financing); and (4) accounts for its servicing assets and liabilities ("servicing"), including how such servicing is measured initially and subsequently, and the methodology and significant assumptions used to value such servicing.