Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness - Schedule of Condensed Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
REVENUES
Net servicing revenue and fees									$ 601,510	$ 783,389	$ 368,509
Net gains on sales of loans									462,172	598,974	648
Interest income on loans									134,555	144,651	154,351
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									109,972	120,382	7,279
Insurance revenue									71,010	84,478	73,249
Other revenues									107,934	70,625	19,771
Total revenues	317,492	386,000	413,713	369,948	402,839	489,167	595,964	314,529	1,487,153	1,802,499	623,807
EXPENSES
Salaries and benefits									578,627	549,799	230,107
General and administrative									577,506	480,377	136,236
Interest expense									303,103	272,655	179,671
Depreciation and amortization									72,721	71,027	49,267
Goodwill impairment			82,269						82,269	0	0
Corporate allocations									0	0	0
Other expenses, net									10,803	9,395	22,619
Total expenses	429,855	389,523	467,171	338,480	382,604	374,856	359,049	266,744	1,625,029	1,383,253	617,900
Losses on extinguishments					12,500				0	(12,489)	(48,579)
OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)
Other net fair value gains									19,280	6,061	7,221
Other									(744)	0	0
Total other gains (losses)	3,303	16,204	1,532	(2,503)	(13,330)	6,507	1,656	(1,261)	18,536	(6,428)	(41,358)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(109,060)	12,681	(51,926)	28,965	6,905	120,818	238,571	46,524	(119,340)	412,818	(35,451)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(65,087)	83,484	(38,997)	11,588	(2,892)	48,129	95,339	18,775	(9,012)	159,351	(13,317)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									(110,328)	253,467	(22,134)
Equity in earnings (losses) of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(43,973)	(70,803)	(12,929)	17,377	9,797	72,689	143,232	27,749	(110,328)	253,467	(22,134)
Comprehensive income (loss)									(110,431)	253,472	(22,057)
Parent Company [Member]
REVENUES
Net servicing revenue and fees									0	0	0
Net gains on sales of loans									0	0	0
Interest income on loans									1,007	612	328
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									0	0	0
Insurance revenue									0	0	0
Other revenues									1,456	739	382
Total revenues									2,463	1,351	710
EXPENSES
Salaries and benefits									19,311	16,911	19,708
General and administrative									32,198	55,023	17,528
Interest expense									147,633	123,629	77,645
Depreciation and amortization									120	124	131
Goodwill impairment									0
Corporate allocations									(46,764)	(40,519)	(25,393)
Other expenses, net									1,598	759	1,350
Total expenses									154,096	155,927	90,969
Losses on extinguishments									0	(12,489)	(48,579)
OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)
Other net fair value gains									(54)	(4,813)	(1,197)
Other									0
Total other gains (losses)									(54)	(17,302)	(49,776)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(151,687)	(171,878)	(140,035)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(49,405)	(55,556)	(48,808)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									(102,282)	(116,322)	(91,227)
Equity in earnings (losses) of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									(8,046)	369,789	69,093
Net income (loss)									(110,328)	253,467	(22,134)
Comprehensive income (loss)									(110,431)	253,472	(22,057)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
REVENUES
Net servicing revenue and fees									619,152	802,557	387,087
Net gains on sales of loans									462,172	598,974	648
Interest income on loans									587	718	696
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									109,972	120,382	7,279
Insurance revenue									66,051	78,469	66,637
Other revenues									106,041	69,184	17,729
Total revenues									1,363,975	1,670,284	480,076
EXPENSES
Salaries and benefits									559,316	532,881	207,192
General and administrative									597,331	431,897	121,548
Interest expense									72,203	60,064	3,472
Depreciation and amortization									71,815	70,068	47,955
Goodwill impairment									82,269
Corporate allocations									46,764	40,519	25,393
Other expenses, net									2,542	1,443	936
Total expenses									1,432,240	1,136,872	406,496
Losses on extinguishments										0	0
OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)
Other net fair value gains									(792)	(657)	(1,178)
Other									(744)
Total other gains (losses)									(1,536)	(657)	(1,178)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(69,801)	532,755	72,402
Income tax expense (benefit)									17,220	208,459	28,569
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									(87,021)	324,296	43,833
Equity in earnings (losses) of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									21,238	13,009	6,300
Net income (loss)									(65,783)	337,305	50,133
Comprehensive income (loss)									(65,702)	337,337	50,082
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries and VIEs [Member]
REVENUES
Net servicing revenue and fees									185	111	2,375
Net gains on sales of loans									0	0	0
Interest income on loans									132,961	143,321	153,327
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									0	0	0
Insurance revenue									5,854	6,009	6,786
Other revenues									20,253	20,135	19,286
Total revenues									159,253	169,576	181,774
EXPENSES
Salaries and benefits									0	7	3,207
General and administrative									30,221	30,387	38,791
Interest expense									83,379	89,521	99,103
Depreciation and amortization									786	835	1,181
Goodwill impairment									0
Corporate allocations									0	0	0
Other expenses, net									6,663	7,193	20,333
Total expenses									121,049	127,943	162,615
Losses on extinguishments										0	0
OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)
Other net fair value gains									20,126	11,531	9,596
Other									0
Total other gains (losses)									20,126	11,531	9,596
Income (loss) before income taxes									58,330	53,164	28,755
Income tax expense (benefit)									5,665	6,921	5,535
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									52,665	46,243	23,220
Equity in earnings (losses) of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									0	0	(438)
Net income (loss)									52,665	46,243	22,782
Comprehensive income (loss)									52,435	46,168	22,884
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
REVENUES
Net servicing revenue and fees									(17,827)	(19,279)	(20,953)
Net gains on sales of loans									0	0	0
Interest income on loans									0	0	0
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									0	0	0
Insurance revenue									(895)	0	(174)
Other revenues									(19,816)	(19,433)	(17,626)
Total revenues									(38,538)	(38,712)	(38,753)
EXPENSES
Salaries and benefits									0	0	0
General and administrative									(82,244)	(36,930)	(41,631)
Interest expense									(112)	(559)	(549)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Goodwill impairment									0
Corporate allocations									0	0	0
Other expenses, net									0	0	0
Total expenses									(82,356)	(37,489)	(42,180)
Losses on extinguishments										0	0
OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)
Other net fair value gains									0	0	0
Other									0
Total other gains (losses)									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									43,818	(1,223)	3,427
Income tax expense (benefit)									17,508	(473)	1,387
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									26,310	(750)	2,040
Equity in earnings (losses) of consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities									(13,192)	(382,798)	(74,955)
Net income (loss)									13,118	(383,548)	(72,915)
Comprehensive income (loss)									$ 13,267	$ (383,505)	$ (72,966)