CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Investment Management:
Revenues	$ 302,419	$ 318,005	$ 901,948	$ 921,539
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	108,351	109,517	332,022	335,528
General and administrative	19,399	17,210	57,616	58,224
Reimbursable tenant costs	15,728	15,611	42,699	42,699
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	11,923	10,377	33,649	30,204
Stock-based compensation expense	4,564	4,747	10,143	13,848
Operating property expenses	1,594	8,547	8,205	30,015
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	1,276	4,786	7,717	12,475
Merger and other expenses	(596)	70	665	912
Impairment charges	0	25,781	19,420	25,781
Subadvisor fees	0	1,763	1,469	5,615
Total operating expenses	162,239	198,409	513,605	555,301
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(52,537)	(58,626)	(157,259)	(179,658)
Other gains and (losses)	45,113	(12,402)	49,537	(12,118)
Gain on sale of real estate, net	20,933	71	32,684	642
Equity in earnings (losses) of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and real estate	1,720	5,769	(10,087)	15,211
Loss on change in control of interests	0	(8,416)	0	(8,416)
Total other income and expenses	15,229	(73,604)	(85,125)	(184,339)
Income before income taxes	155,409	45,992	303,218	181,899
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(5,975)	(4,157)	28,122	(5,147)
Net Income	149,434	41,835	331,340	176,752
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(37)	(496)	(10,553)	(881)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	$ 149,397	$ 41,339	$ 320,787	$ 175,871
Basic earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.85	$ 0.24	$ 1.84	$ 1.03
Diluted earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.85	$ 0.24	$ 1.84	$ 1.03
Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	174,974,185	172,235,066	173,879,068	170,276,085
Diluted (in shares)	175,261,812	172,486,506	174,144,038	170,545,665
Real Estate
Real Estate:
Lease revenues	$ 293,856	$ 278,839	$ 856,269	$ 811,580
Gross contract revenue	1,974	9,538	9,368	40,970
Lease termination income and other	1,565	14,377	9,991	23,951
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	1,974	9,538	9,368	40,970
Revenues	297,395	302,754	875,628	876,501
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	108,351	108,573	331,035	332,652
General and administrative	19,399	13,973	51,793	44,162
Reimbursable tenant costs	15,728	15,611	42,699	42,699
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	11,923	10,377	33,649	30,204
Stock-based compensation expense	4,564	3,435	9,452	9,717
Operating property expenses	1,594	8,547	8,205	30,015
Merger and other expenses	(1,016)	70	(213)	912
Impairment charges	0	25,781	19,420	25,781
Total operating expenses	160,543	186,367	496,040	516,142
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(52,537)	(58,626)	(157,259)	(179,658)
Other gains and (losses)	44,777	(12,938)	48,943	(13,330)
Gain on sale of real estate, net	20,933	71	32,684	642
Equity in earnings (losses) of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and real estate	631	578	2,407	730
Loss on change in control of interests	0	(8,416)	0	(8,416)
Total other income and expenses	13,804	(79,331)	(73,225)	(200,032)
Income before income taxes	150,656	37,056	306,363	160,327
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(3,636)	(3,511)	24,047	(12,689)
Net Income	147,020	33,545	330,410	147,638
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(37)	11	(688)	94
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	146,983	33,556	329,722	147,732
Investment Management
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	5,024	15,251	26,320	45,038
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	5,024	15,251	26,320	45,038
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	0	944	987	2,876
General and administrative	0	3,237	5,823	14,062
Stock-based compensation expense	0	1,312	691	4,131
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	1,276	4,786	7,717	12,475
Merger and other expenses	420	0	878	0
Subadvisor fees	0	1,763	1,469	5,615
Total operating expenses	1,696	12,042	17,565	39,159
Other Income and Expenses
Other gains and (losses)	336	536	594	1,212
Equity in earnings (losses) of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and real estate	1,089	5,191	(12,494)	14,481
Total other income and expenses	1,425	5,727	(11,900)	15,693
Income before income taxes	4,753	8,936	(3,145)	21,572
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(2,339)	(646)	4,075	7,542
Net Income	2,414	8,290	930	29,114
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(507)	(9,865)	(975)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	2,414	7,783	(8,935)	28,139
Investment Management | Asset management revenue
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	3,748	9,878	18,109	29,400
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	3,748	9,878	18,109	29,400
Investment Management | Reimbursable costs from affiliates
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	1,276	4,786	7,717	12,475
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	1,276	4,786	7,717	12,475
Investment Management | Structuring and other advisory revenue
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	0	587	494	3,163
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	$ 0	$ 587	$ 494	$ 3,163