FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]

Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block]

	September 30, 2013								December 31, 2012
	Carrying		Fair Value						Carrying
(in thousands)	Amount		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Amount		Fair Value
Assets:
Investments in preferred stock	$	31,371	$	-	$	-	$	36,613	$	31,371	$	35,807
Loans receivable		1,174		-		-		302		1,072		383
Liabilities:
Senior interests in and debt owed to securitization trusts		-		-		-		-		589,592		589,778
Mandatorily redeemable preferred shares		-		-		-		-		88,720		91,517
Notes payable and other debt, bond related		146,304		-		-		145,091		57,729		59,001
Notes payable and other debt, non-bond related		75,781		-		-		67,851		56,985		48,696
Notes payable and other debt related to CFVs		96,142		-		49,745		44,977		55,433		55,580
Subordinate debt issued by MFH		113,248		-		-		42,869		164,500		47,219
Subordinate debt issued by MFI		29,651		-		-		29,651		30,000		30,000