Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Operating activities
Net income (loss)	$ (110,328)	$ 253,467	$ (22,134)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations	(109,972)	(120,382)	(7,279)
Amortization of servicing rights	43,101	42,583	50,461
Change in fair value of servicing rights	273,502	(48,058)	0
Change in fair value of excess servicing spread liability	(2,114)	0	0
Non-Residual Trusts net fair value losses (gains)	(9,395)	1,002	4,709
Other net fair value losses	865	5,462	2,433
Accretion of discounts on residential loans and advances	(15,744)	(17,991)	(17,787)
Accretion of discounts on debt and amortization of deferred debt issuance costs	19,084	21,680	15,600
Amortization of master repurchase agreements deferred issuance costs	6,861	6,656	0
Amortization of servicing advance liabilities deferred issuance costs	7,838	254	169
Provision for uncollectible advances	75,704	37,993	13,199
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment and intangible assets	72,721	71,027	49,267
Losses on extinguishments	0	12,489	48,579
Non-Residual Trusts losses on real estate owned, net	505	1,086	1,387
Other gains on real estate owned, net	(960)	(2,022)	(689)
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes	(35,408)	97,418	(22,373)
Share-based compensation	14,533	13,011	14,206
Purchases and originations of residential loans held for sale	(18,878,305)	(16,141,573)	(22,259)
Proceeds from sales of and payments on residential loans held for sale	19,042,387	15,539,918	15,985
Net gains on sales of loans	(462,172)	(598,974)	(648)
Goodwill impairment	82,269	0	0
Other	(6,039)	(1,653)	18,818
Changes in assets and liabilities
Decrease (increase) in receivables	70,495	(64,270)	(27,183)
Increase in servicer and protective advances	(291,383)	(1,069,377)	(25,921)
Increase in other assets	(17,332)	(14,327)	(754)
Increase (decrease) in payables and accrued liabilities	65,858	160,386	(22,928)
Increase (decrease) in servicer payables	(40,841)	3,720	4,762
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities	(204,270)	(1,810,475)	69,620
Investing activities
Purchases and originations of reverse loans held for investment	(1,505,215)	(3,020,937)	(594,315)
Principal payments received on reverse loans held for investment	548,660	372,375	29,658
Principal payments received on mortgage loans related to Residual Trusts	103,637	108,274	97,038
Principal payments received on mortgage loans related to Non-Residual Trusts	58,620	61,385	62,884
Payments received on charged-off loans held for investment	14,929	0	0
Payments received on receivables related to Non-Residual Trusts	9,471	14,804	16,096
Cash proceeds from sales of real estate owned, net related to Residual Trusts	10,842	7,730	7,861
Cash proceeds from sales of real estate owned, net related to Non-Residual Trusts and other	44,464	30,694	11,383
Purchases of premises and equipment	(21,573)	(38,639)	(11,408)
Decrease (increase) in restricted cash and cash equivalents	11,333	(8,156)	41,332
Payments for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired	(197,061)	(492,283)	(103,592)
Acquisitions of servicing rights	(268,618)	(797,165)	(5,539)
Sales of servicing rights	9,499	0	0
Acquisitions of charged-off loans held for investment	(64,548)	0	0
Other	1,449	(14,165)	(2,751)
Cash flows used in investing activities	(1,244,111)	(3,776,083)	(451,353)
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of corporate debt, net of debt issuance costs	0	3,106,263	957,037
Payments on corporate debt	(17,220)	(362,931)	(75,292)
Debt prepayment penalty	0	0	(29,440)
Proceeds from securitizations of reverse loans	1,617,399	3,216,096	583,925
Payments on HMBS related obligations	(637,272)	(409,331)	(33,496)
Issuances of servicing advance liabilities	2,299,930	1,604,272	263,833
Payments on servicing advance liabilities	(1,905,331)	(733,150)	(270,708)
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to mortgage loans	75,726	929,015	6,055
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to reverse loans	15,667	(98,837)	11,832
Proceeds from sale of excess servicing spread	75,426	0	0
Payments on excess servicing spread liability	(6,822)	0	0
Other debt issuance costs paid	(17,281)	(9,833)	(7,192)
Payments on mortgage-backed debt related to Residual Trusts	(104,542)	(112,449)	(98,105)
Payments on mortgage-backed debt related to Non-Residual Trusts	(76,613)	(87,920)	(92,716)
Extinguishments and settlement of debt and mortgage-backed debt	0	(1,405,424)	(690,000)
Secondary equity offering, net of issuance costs	0	0	276,013
Other	(42,396)	618	3,302
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities	1,276,671	5,636,389	805,048
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(171,710)	49,831	423,315
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	491,885	442,054	18,739
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	$ 320,175	$ 491,885	$ 442,054