FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * JOSEPHS ROBIN   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ISTAR FINANCIAL INC [SFI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 1861 NORTH ORCHARD STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/06/2009 (Street) CHICAGO, IL 60614 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, par value $.001 per share 01/06/2009   J(1)   13,827 A $ 0 22,927 (2) I Revocable trust

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
JOSEPHS ROBIN 1861 NORTH ORCHARD STREET CHICAGO, IL 60614	X

Signatures

s/ Robin Josephs		01/08/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The Reporting Person has acquired 13,827 shares of common stock of iStar Financial Inc. in settlement of vested common stock equivalent ("CSE") awards received by the Reporting Person, pursuant to the iStar Financial Inc. Non-Employee Directors' Deferral Plan ("Plan"). Under the Plan, the Reporting Person has received annual CSE awards effective as of the date of each annual meeting of shareholders beginning with the 2003 annual meeting and, in addition, has received CSE awards for her service as Lead Director. In accordance with Plan, the Reporting Person has elected to receive a distribution of her vested CSEs in the form of shares of iStar common stock.
(2)	Following this transaction, the Reporting Person is the benefical owner of a total of 64,177 shares of Common Stock, of which 14,190 shares are owned directly by the Reporting Person, 15,060 shares are owned indirectly by the Reporting Person's spouse, 22,927 shares are owned indirectly through a revocable trust and 12,000 shares are owned indirectly by an individual retirement account established by the Reporting Person.

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