RAIT Financial Trust (NYSE: RAS) announced that on January 24, 2012, RAIT's Board of Trustees declared a first quarter 2012 cash dividend of $0.484375 per share on RAIT's 7.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, $0.5234375 per share on RAIT's 8.375% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares and $0.5546875 per share on RAIT's 8.875% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares. The dividends will be paid on April 2, 2012 to holders of record on March 1, 2012.

About RAIT Financial Trust

RAIT Financial Trust manages a portfolio of real estate related assets, provides a comprehensive set of debt financing options to the real estate industry and invests in real estate related assets. RAIT's management uses its experience, knowledge and relationship network to seek to generate and manage real estate related investment opportunities for RAIT and for outside investors. For more information, please visit www.raitft.com or call Investor Relations at 215.243.9000.

RAIT Financial Trust
Andres Viroslav, 215-243-9000
aviroslav@raitft.com