Fannie Mae, a mortgage finance company asked $15.3 billion as bailout money from the Federal Government.

The company is marred by the slump in housing sales. It reported a fourth-quarter loss of $16.3 billion, including $1.2 billion in dividend payments to the Treasury Department. This is down from $25.2 billion a year earlier and $19.8 billion in the third quarter.

In 2009, Fannie's losses elevated to $74.4 billion, compared with $59.8 billion in 2008.

Fannie and its smaller sibling, Freddie Mac, are the primary source of mortgage funding in the nation. They bundle home loans that conform to certain standards into securities, attach a guarantee that they will be paid, and sell them to investors. The process gets money back to the banks and other lenders that originate the loans.

On the brighter side, Fannie reported that the number of loans turning seriously delinquent has stabilized. It predicts that credit-related expenses in 2010 will be lower than in 2009.

Fannie Mae said it is working to decrease its credit losses by helping homeowners avoid foreclosure.

After being taken over by the Federal Government in September 2008, Fannie Mae had received $60.9 billion from the Treasury Department.

Freddie Mac, which had received $50.7 billion in taxpayer funds, did not request any additional money.