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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Significant Accounting Policies
Fair Value Measurements
Our consolidated financial statements include assets and liabilities that are measured at their fair values in accordance with GAAP. A fair value measurement represents the price at which an orderly transaction would occur between willing market participants at the measurement date.
We develop fair values for financial assets or liabilities based on available inputs and pricing that is observed in the marketplace. After considering all available indications of the appropriate rate of return that market participants would require, we consider the reasonableness of the range indicated by the results to determine an estimate that is most representative of fair value.
 See Note 6 for further discussion on fair value measurements.
Fair Value Option
Under GAAP, we have the option to measure eligible financial assets, financial liabilities, and commitments at fair value on an instrument-by-instrument basis. This option is available when we first recognize a financial asset or financial liability or enter into a firm commitment. Subsequent changes in the fair value of assets, liabilities, and commitments where we have elected the fair value option are recorded in our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
We elect the fair value option for certain residential consumer and investor loans, real estate securities, MSRs, servicer advance investments, HEI, and certain of our other investments. This election is also applied to our IO and certain subordinate securities, and MSRs, for which we may hedge market interest rate risk. In addition, we elect the fair value option for the assets and liabilities of our consolidated securitization entities in accordance with GAAP accounting for collateralized financing entities ("CFEs").
See Note 6 for further discussion on the fair value option.
Loans
We acquire, originate and purchase residential consumer loans and residential investor term and bridge loans from our Mortgage Banking platforms or from third‑party originators for subsequent sale to whole‑loan buyers, securitization, or transfer into our Redwood Investments portfolio.
We classify loans as held-for-sale at fair value when we originate or purchase these loans with the intent to transfer the loans to securitization entities or sell the loans to third parties. Changes in fair value are recurring and reported through our consolidated statements of (loss) income in Mortgage banking activities, net.
We record loans held-for-investment, including loans held at consolidated securitization entities, at fair value. In accordance with accounting guidance for CFEs, we use the fair value of the ABS issued by these entities (which we determined to be more observable) to determine the fair value of the loans held at these entities. Changes in fair value for these loans and related ABS are recurring and are reported through our consolidated statements of (loss) income in Investment fair value changes, net.
See Notes 7 and 8 for further discussion on residential consumer and residential investor loans.
Interest Income
Interest income is accrued on our unsecuritized loans in the period the coupon interest is contractually earned until such time a loan is placed on non-accrual status. A loan is generally placed on non-accrual status when it is probable that all principal and interest due under the contractual terms will not be collected and a loan is past due more than 90 days. Income from non-accrual loans is generally recognized on a cash basis when it is received. At the time a loan is placed on non-accrual status, all accrued but uncollected interest is reversed against interest income and interest subsequently collected is recognized on a cash basis to the extent the loan balance is deemed collectible or until such time the loan qualifies to be placed back on accrual status. Generally, a loan is placed back on accrual status when the loan becomes contractually current or the collection of past due and future payments is reasonably assured either through reinstatement by the borrower, recoverability on the estimated net equity in the underlying real estate property or both.
Coupon interest for our securitized loans is recognized as revenue based on amounts expected to be paid to the securities issued by the securitization entities.
Real Estate Securities, at Fair Value
Our securities primarily consist of a beneficial interest in a trust or mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) collateralized by residential consumer, re-performing ("RPL") and multifamily mortgage loans. We classify our real estate securities as trading or available-for-sale securities.
Trading Securities
We primarily denote trading securities as those securities where we have adopted the fair value option. Coupon interest is recognized as interest income when earned and deemed collectible. Changes in the fair value of securities designated as trading securities are generally reported in Investment fair value changes, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
Available-for-Sale Securities
AFS securities are carried at their fair value with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings (except when an allowance for credit losses is recognized, as discussed below) and reported in Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income (“AOCI”), a component of stockholders’ equity. Gains and losses from the sale of AFS securities are recorded as Realized gains, net, in our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
Interest income on AFS securities is accrued based on their outstanding principal balance and contractual terms and interest income is recognized based on the security’s effective interest rate. In order to calculate the effective interest rate, we must project cash flows over the remaining life of each security and make assumptions with regards to interest rates, prepayment rates, the timing and amount of credit losses, estimated call dates and other factors. On at least a quarterly basis, we review and, if appropriate, make adjustments to our cash flow projections based on input and analysis received from external sources, internal models, and our own judgments about interest rates, prepayment rates, the timing and amount of credit losses, and other factors. Changes in cash flows from those originally projected, or from those estimated at the last evaluation, may result in a prospective change in the yield and interest income recognized on these securities or in the recognition of an allowance for credit losses as discussed below.
Credit impairments on our available-for-sale securities are recorded in earnings using an allowance for credit losses, with the allowance limited to the amount by which the security's fair value is less than its amortized cost basis. We evaluate all securities in an unrealized loss position to determine if the impairment is credit-related (resulting in an allowance for credit losses recorded in earnings) or non-credit-related (resulting in an unrealized loss through other comprehensive income). The allowance for credit losses is calculated using a discounted cash flow approach and is measured as the difference between the beneficial interest’s amortized cost and the estimate of cash flows expected to be collected, discounted at the effective interest rate used to accrete the beneficial interest. No allowance is recorded for beneficial interests in an unrealized gain position.
See Note 9 for further discussion on real estate securities.
HEI
We invest in HEI contracts, either originated directly or acquired from third parties. HEIs provide investors an option to purchase a percentage of the underlying residential property upon specific events. The homeowner's obligations under the HEI are secured by the recording of a lien (typically junior liens) against the property in the form of a deed of trust or a mortgage. These investments allow us to share in home price appreciation/depreciation of the associated property and are recorded at fair value, with changes reported as HEI income. HEIs held by our consolidated securitization entities are also fair valued. In accordance with accounting guidance for CFEs, we use the fair value of the ABS issued by these entities (which we determined to be more observable) to determine the fair value of the HEI held at these entities. Changes in fair value for both these HEI assets and the associated ABS are recorded as HEI income, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
See Note 10 for further discussion on HEI.
Servicing Investments
Our servicing investments include Servicer advance investments, Excess MSRs, and MSRs. Servicer advance investments represent our obligations to finance outstanding servicer receivables and, in certain cases, to fund future advances on specific residential mortgage loans, along with the associated servicing fee components. Excess MSRs grant us a portion of mortgage servicing cash flows without requiring a servicing license, duties, or advance obligations. We acquire MSRs by retaining servicing rights from transferred residential mortgage loans that meet GAAP sale accounting criteria, or by directly purchasing MSRs from third parties. We contract with licensed sub-servicers to perform servicing functions for loans associated with our MSRs.
Servicer advance investments and Excess MSRs are recorded at fair value, with interest income recognized when earned and changes in fair value reported in Investment fair value changes, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income. MSRs are carried at fair value, with servicing fee income recognized on a cash basis and fair value changes reported in Servicing investments, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
See Note 11 for further discussion on servicing investments.
Strategic Investments
We have made and may make additional strategic investments in companies through equity or debt instruments, including those with conversion features. Depending on the terms of the investments, we may account for these investments under the fair value option, as non-marketable equity securities under the equity method of accounting or the measurement alternative for equity securities without readily determinable fair values.
Investments accounted for under the fair value option are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in Investment fair value changes, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
For non-marketable securities over which we have significant influence but do not have control, we apply the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method, we recognize our share of the investee’s earnings or losses and evaluate such investments for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Equity method income or loss is recorded in Other income, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
Investments accounted for under the measurement alternative are carried at cost, less impairment, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer. These adjustments are based on observable market transactions and are recorded in Other income, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
See Note 12 for further discussion on our strategic investments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include non-restricted cash and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less and money market fund investments which are generally invested in U.S. government securities and are available to us on a daily basis. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with major financial institutions. The Company monitors the financial stability of these financial institutions and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk in its cash and cash equivalents at these institutions.
Restricted Cash
Restricted cash primarily includes cash held at CAFL Bridge entities for the purpose of future bridge loan investments, cash associated with our risk-sharing transactions with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ("the Agencies"), and cash held at consolidated Sequoia, HEI and CAFL entities for the purpose of distribution to investors.
Derivative Financial Instruments
Derivative financial instruments we typically utilize include swaps, swaptions, financial futures contracts, and “To Be Announced” (“TBA”) contracts. These derivatives are primarily used to manage interest rate risk associated with our operations. In addition, we enter into certain residential loan purchase commitments (“LPCs”) and interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs") that are treated as derivatives for financial reporting purposes. All derivative financial instruments are recorded at their fair value on our consolidated balance sheets. Derivatives with positive fair values to us are reported as assets, and derivatives with negative fair values
to us are reported as liabilities. We classify each derivative as either (i) a trading instrument (no specific hedging designation for financial reporting purposes) or (ii) a cash flow hedge of a forecasted transaction or of the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability.
Changes in the fair values of derivatives accounted for as trading instruments, including any associated interest income or expense, are recorded in our consolidated statements of (loss) income through Other income, net if they are used to manage risks associated with our MSR investments, through Mortgage banking activities, net if they are used to manage risks associated with our mortgage banking activities, or through Investment fair value changes, net if they are used to manage risks associated with our investments. Valuation changes related to residential LPCs and IRLCs are included in Mortgage banking activities, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
See Note 13 for further discussion on derivative financial instruments.
Other Assets and Liabilities
Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Significant judgment is required to estimate the fair value of intangible assets and in assigning their estimated useful lives. The fair value estimates are based on available historical information and on future expectations and assumptions we deem reasonable. We generally use an income-based valuation method to estimate the fair value of intangible assets, which discounts expected future cash flows to present value using estimates and assumptions we deem reasonable. Determining the estimated useful lives of intangible assets also requires judgment. Our assessment as to which intangible assets are deemed to have finite or indefinite lives is based on several factors including economic barriers of entry for the acquired business, retention trends, and our operating plans, among other factors. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis and reviewed for impairment if indicators are present. Additionally, useful lives are evaluated each reporting period to determine if revisions to the remaining periods of amortization are warranted.
Goodwill is tested for impairment annually or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. We have elected to make the first day of our fiscal fourth quarter the annual impairment assessment date for goodwill. We first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value. If, based on that assessment, we believe it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, we measure the fair value of the reporting unit and record a goodwill impairment charge for the amount by which a reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of the goodwill.
See Note 15 for further discussion on intangible assets.
Agency Risk-Sharing - Assets and Liabilities
We established subordinate risk-sharing arrangements in 2014 and 2015 with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In return, we received monthly payments or reduced guarantee fees under these arrangements. We pledged assets as collateral for these commitments, held by a third-party custodian. These arrangements resulted in recording restricted cash, pledged collateral and guarantee obligations on our balance sheets.
The guarantee obligations represent our commitments to assume losses under these arrangements. We amortize the guarantee obligations over the 10-year terms of the arrangements based primarily on changes in the outstanding unpaid principal balance of loans in the reference pools, with a portion of the liabilities treated as a credit reserve that is not amortized into income. In addition, each period we assess the need for a separate loss allowance related to these arrangements, based on our estimate of credit losses inherent in the reference pools of loans.
Income from cash payments received under the first Fannie Mae risk-sharing arrangement and income related to the amortization of the guarantee obligations of all three arrangements are recorded in Other income, net and market valuation changes of the guarantee asset are recorded in Investment fair value changes, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
Our consolidated balance sheets include assets of the special purpose entities ("SPEs") associated with these risk-sharing arrangements (i.e., the "pledged collateral" referred to above) that can only be used to settle obligations of these SPEs and liabilities of these SPEs for which the creditors of these SPEs (the Agencies) do not have recourse to Redwood Trust, Inc. or its affiliates. At
December 31, 2025 and 2024, assets of such SPEs totaled $19 million and $29 million, respectively, and liabilities of such SPEs totaled $1 million and $3 million, respectively.
Real Estate Owned ("REO")
REO property acquired through, or in lieu of, foreclosure is initially recorded at fair value, and subsequently reported at the lower of its carrying amount or fair value (less estimated cost to sell). Changes in the fair value of an REO property that has a fair value at or below its carrying amount are recorded in Investment fair value changes, net on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
See Note 15 for further discussion on REO.
Lease - Asset and Liabilities
We record operating lease liabilities and operating lease right-of-use assets on our consolidated balance sheets. Operating lease liabilities are equal to the present value of our remaining lease payments discounted at our incremental borrowing rate and the operating lease right-of-use assets are equal to the operating lease liabilities adjusted for our deferred rent liabilities. As lease payments are made, the operating lease liabilities are reduced to the present value of the remaining lease payments and the operating lease right-of-use assets are reduced by the difference between the lease expense (straight-lined over the lease term) and the theoretical interest expense amount (calculated using the incremental borrowing rate).
See Note 19 for further discussion on leases.
Payable to Non-Controlling Interests
Payable to non-controlling interests includes amounts payable to third parties, representing their interest in our consolidated Servicing investments and our consolidated securitization entities.
See Note 10 for further discussion of HEI and Note 15 for further discussion on other assets and other liabilities.
Asset-Backed Securities Issued ("ABS")
ABS issued represents asset-backed securities issued through our consolidated securitization entities. Assets at these entities are held in the custody of securitization trustees and are not owned by Redwood. These trustees collect principal and interest payments (less servicing and related fees) from the assets in these entities and make corresponding principal and interest payments to the ABS investors. In accordance with accounting guidance for CFEs, we account for the ABS issued under certain of our consolidated entities at fair value, with periodic changes in fair value recorded in Investment fair value changes, net or HEI income, net (for HEI securitizations) on our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
See Note 17 for further discussion on ABS issued.
Debt Obligations
Debt obligations under our financing facilities are secured by residential consumer and investor loans and real estate securities and carried at unpaid principal balance ("UPB") net of any unamortized deferred issuance costs. Interest on these facilities is paid monthly. If the value of the collateral securing those borrowings decreases, we may be subject to margin calls during the period the borrowings are outstanding. In instances where we do not satisfy the margin calls within the required time frame, the counterparty may retain the collateral and pursue any outstanding debt amount from us.
Convertible notes include unsecured convertible and exchangeable debt that are carried at their UPB net of any unamortized deferred issuance costs. Interest on the notes is payable semiannually until such time the notes mature or are converted or exchanged into shares. If converted or exchanged by a holder, the holder of the notes would receive shares of our common stock.
Senior notes and trust preferred securities and subordinated notes are carried at their UPB net of any unamortized deferred issuance costs. This debt is unsecured and interest is paid quarterly until it is redeemed in whole or matures at a future date.
See Note 18 for further discussion on our debt obligations.
Equity
Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income
Net unrealized gains and losses on real estate securities available-for-sale and interest rate agreements designated as cash flow hedges are reported as components of Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income on our consolidated statements of changes in stockholders' equity and our consolidated balance sheets. Net unrealized gains and losses on securities and interest rate agreements held by our taxable REIT subsidiaries that are reported in other comprehensive (loss) income are adjusted for the effects of taxation and may create deferred tax assets or liabilities.
See Note 20 for further discussion on equity.
Earnings per Common Share
Basic earnings per common share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing net income allocated to common shareholders by the weighted average common shares outstanding. Net income allocated to common shareholders represents net income less income allocated to participating securities (as described herein). Diluted EPS is computed by dividing income allocated to common shareholders by the weighted average common shares outstanding plus amounts representing the dilutive effect of share-based payment awards. If the assumed conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable debt into common shares is dilutive, diluted EPS is adjusted by adding back the periodic interest expense (net of any tax effects) associated with dilutive convertible or exchangeable debt to net income and adding the shares issued in an assumed conversion or exchange to the diluted weighted average share count. If the potential conversion of our convertible debt is dilutive, then the number of shares needed to settle the conversion premium are added to the shares outstanding used to calculate dilutive EPS.
The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula under which EPS is calculated for common stock and participating securities according to dividends declared and participating rights in undistributed earnings. Under this method, all earnings (distributed and undistributed) are allocated between participating securities and common shares based on their respective rights to receive dividends or dividend equivalents. GAAP defines vested and unvested share-based payment awards containing non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents as participating securities that are included in computing EPS under the two-class method.
See Note 21 for further discussion on EPS.
Equity Compensation Plans
The Redwood Trust, Inc. Incentive Plan (“Incentive Plan”) for executive officers, employees, and non-employee directors provides for the grant of restricted stock, deferred stock, deferred stock units, performance-based awards (including performance stock units and cash-settled performance stock units), dividend equivalents, stock payments, restricted stock units, cash-settled restricted and deferred stock units, and other types of awards to eligible participants. Long-term incentive awards granted under the Incentive Plan generally vest over a three- or four-year period. Deferred stock units, restricted stock units, and restricted stock awards (as well as cash-settled restricted and deferred stock units) have attached dividend equivalent rights, resulting in the payment of dividend equivalents each time we pay a common stock dividend. Non-employee directors are also provided annual awards under the Incentive Plan that generally vest immediately. The cost of the awards is generally amortized over the vesting period on a straight-line basis. We have elected to account for forfeitures on employee equity-based awards, including cash-settled awards, as they occur.
The Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (“EDCP”) allows eligible employees and directors to defer portions of their current salary and certain other forms of compensation. The Company matches some deferrals. Compensation deferred under the EDCP is recorded as a liability on our consolidated balance sheets. The EDCP allows for the investment of deferrals in either an interest crediting account or DSUs.
See Note 22 for further discussion on equity compensation plans.
Taxes
We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code and the corresponding provisions of state law. To qualify as a REIT we must distribute at least 90% of our annual REIT taxable income to shareholders (not including taxable income retained in our taxable REIT subsidiaries) within the time frame set forth in the Internal Revenue Code and also meet certain other requirements related to assets, income, and stock ownership. We assess our tax positions for all open tax years and record tax benefits
only if tax positions meet a more-likely-than-not threshold in accordance with GAAP guidance on accounting for uncertain tax positions. We classify interest and penalties on material uncertain tax positions as interest expense and general and administrative expenses, respectively, in our consolidated statements of (loss) income.
Our deferred tax assets/liabilities are generated by temporary differences in GAAP income and taxable income at our taxable REIT subsidiaries. As a result of these differences, we may recognize taxable income in periods prior to when we recognize income for GAAP purposes. When this occurs, we pay the tax liability as required and establish a deferred tax asset. As the income is subsequently realized in future periods for GAAP purposes, the deferred tax asset is reduced. We may also recognize GAAP income in periods prior to when we recognize income for tax purposes. When this occurs, we establish a deferred tax liability. As the income is subsequently realized in future periods for tax purposes, the deferred tax liability is reduced.
In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, we consider whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. We consider historical and projected future taxable income and capital gains as well as tax planning strategies in making this assessment. We determine the extent to which realization of deferred assets is not assured and establish a valuation allowance accordingly. The estimate of net deferred tax assets could change in future periods to the extent that actual or revised estimates of future taxable income during the carryforward periods change from current expectations.
See Note 24 for further discussion on taxes.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures." This ASU requires incremental disclosures primarily related to the reconciliation of the statutory income tax rate to the effective income tax rate, as well as income taxes paid. This new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted and upon adoption, the guidance can be adopted on a prospective or retrospective basis. We adopted this guidance, as required, in the year ended 2025, which resulted in additional disclosures and did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. See Note 24 for further information.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, "Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses." This ASU requires additional disclosures on disaggregated information about certain income statement expense line items including employee compensation, depreciation, amortization and depletion. This new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. We expect that this new guidance will result in additional disclosures in our consolidated financial statements and plan to adopt this new guidance by the required date.
In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-06, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other — Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Targeted Improvements.” This ASU replaces the existing stage-based model for internal-use software with a principle-based “probable-to-complete” capitalization threshold and relocates website development guidance into Subtopic 350-40. The new standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2027, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of this guidance and plan to adopt it by the required effective date.
The Company reviewed other recently issued ASUs and determined that they were not expected to have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements when adopted or did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements upon adoption.