Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes For the three months ended December 31, 2013, the Company's effective tax rate of 104.4% was negatively impacted by the following: (i) the profitability of our life insurance group which files its own consolidated Federal income tax return; (ii) pretax losses in the United States and some foreign jurisdictions for which the Company concluded that the tax benefits are not more likely-than-not realizable, resulting in valuation allowances; (iii) book expense for the increase in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of Preferred Stock, for which no tax benefit is available; and (iv) tax amortization of certain indefinite lived intangibles. In addition, the Company is not permanently reinvesting income from its foreign operations, thereby subjecting unremitted foreign earnings to an incremental tax in the U.S. at Federal statutory income tax rate of 35%, as no U.S. foreign tax credits can be claimed to U.S. net operating losses. For the three months ended December 30, 2012, the Company's effective tax rate of 48.6% was negatively impacted by: (i) the profitability of our life insurance group which files its own consolidated Federal income tax return; (ii) pretax losses in the United States and some foreign jurisdictions for which the Company concluded that the tax benefits are not more likely-than-not realizable, resulting in valuation allowances; and (iii) tax amortization of certain indefinite lived intangibles. In addition, the Company is not permanently reinvesting income from its foreign operations, thereby subjecting unremitted foreign earnings to an incremental tax in the U.S. at the Federal statutory income tax rate of 35%, as no U.S. foreign tax credits can be claimed due to U.S. net operating losses. Partially offsetting these factors in the three months ended December 30, 2012 was: (i) the release of U.S. valuation allowance of $45.9 on deferred tax assets that Spectrum Brands has determined are more-likely-than-not realizable as a result of an acquisition; and (ii) income resulting from a decrease in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of Preferred Stock which is not taxable. Net operating loss (“NOL”) and tax credit carryforwards of HGI and Spectrum Brands are subject to full valuation allowances and those of FGL are subject to partial valuation allowances, as the Company concluded all or a portion of the associated tax benefits are not more likely- than-not realizable. Utilization of NOL and other tax credit carryforwards of HGI, Spectrum Brands and FGL are subject to limitations under Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) Sections 382 and 383. Such limitations result from ownership changes of more than 50 percentage points over a three-year period. The Company recognizes in its consolidated financial statements the impact of a tax position if it concludes that the position is more likely than not sustainable upon audit, based on the technical merits of the position. At December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013, the Company had $13.3 and $13.8, respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions. If recognized in the future, $9.6 and $10.1, respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits would impact the effective tax rate at those dates. The Company also had approximately $3.6 and $3.7, respectively, of accrued interest and penalties related to the uncertain tax positions at those dates. Interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are reported in the financial statements as part of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2013, certain of the Company’s legal entities in various jurisdictions are undergoing income tax audits. The Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the examinations; however, it is reasonably possible that during the next 12 months some portion of previously unrecognized tax benefits could be recognized. Effective October 1, 2012, Spectrum Brands’ management decided to not permanently reinvest the Fiscal 2012 and future foreign subsidiary earnings, except to the extent repatriation of such earnings is limited or precluded by law. With these remitted earnings, Spectrum Brands plans to voluntarily prepay its U.S. debt, repurchase shares and fund U.S. acquisitions and ongoing U.S. operational cash flow requirements. As a result of the valuation allowance recorded against Spectrum Brands’ U.S. net deferred tax assets, including net operating loss carryforwards, Spectrum Brands does not expect to incur incremental U.S. tax expense on the expected future repatriation of foreign earnings. During the three months ended December 31, 2013, Spectrum Brands recorded a $178.7 reduction of its U.S. net operating loss carryforwards as a result of actual and deemed repatriations of foreign earnings. Due to full valuation allowances on the Spectrum Brands’ U.S. net operating loss carryforwards, there was no material impact on Spectrum Brands’ quarterly or projected annual income tax expense.

Income Taxes

For the three months ended December 31, 2013, the Company's effective tax rate of 104.4% was negatively impacted by the following: (i) the profitability of our life insurance group which files its own consolidated Federal income tax return; (ii) pretax losses in the United States and some foreign jurisdictions for which the Company concluded that the tax benefits are not more likely-than-not realizable, resulting in valuation allowances; (iii) book expense for the increase in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of Preferred Stock, for which no tax benefit is available; and (iv) tax amortization of certain indefinite lived intangibles. In addition, the Company is not permanently reinvesting income from its foreign operations, thereby subjecting unremitted foreign earnings to an incremental tax in the U.S. at Federal statutory income tax rate of 35%, as no U.S. foreign tax credits can be claimed to U.S. net operating losses.

For the three months ended December 30, 2012, the Company's effective tax rate of 48.6% was negatively impacted by: (i) the profitability of our life insurance group which files its own consolidated Federal income tax return; (ii) pretax losses in the United States and some foreign jurisdictions for which the Company concluded that the tax benefits are not more likely-than-not realizable, resulting in valuation allowances; and (iii) tax amortization of certain indefinite lived intangibles. In addition, the Company is not permanently reinvesting income from its foreign operations, thereby subjecting unremitted foreign earnings to an incremental tax in the U.S. at the Federal statutory income tax rate of 35%, as no U.S. foreign tax credits can be claimed due to U.S. net operating losses. Partially offsetting these factors in the three months ended December 30, 2012 was: (i) the release of U.S. valuation allowance of $45.9 on deferred tax assets that Spectrum Brands has determined are more-likely-than-not realizable as a result of an acquisition; and (ii) income resulting from a decrease in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of Preferred Stock which is not taxable.

Net operating loss (“NOL”) and tax credit carryforwards of HGI and Spectrum Brands are subject to full valuation allowances and those of FGL are subject to partial valuation allowances, as the Company concluded all or a portion of the associated tax benefits are not more likely- than-not realizable. Utilization of NOL and other tax credit carryforwards of HGI, Spectrum Brands and FGL are subject to limitations under Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) Sections 382 and 383. Such limitations result from ownership changes of more than 50 percentage points over a three-year period.

The Company recognizes in its consolidated financial statements the impact of a tax position if it concludes that the position is more likely than not sustainable upon audit, based on the technical merits of the position. At December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013, the Company had $13.3 and $13.8, respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions. If recognized in the future, $9.6 and $10.1, respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits would impact the effective tax rate at those dates. The Company also had approximately $3.6 and $3.7, respectively, of accrued interest and penalties related to the uncertain tax positions at those dates. Interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are reported in the financial statements as part of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2013, certain of the Company’s legal entities in various jurisdictions are undergoing income tax audits. The Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the examinations; however, it is reasonably possible that during the next 12 months some portion of previously unrecognized tax benefits could be recognized.

Effective October 1, 2012, Spectrum Brands’ management decided to not permanently reinvest the Fiscal 2012 and future foreign subsidiary earnings, except to the extent repatriation of such earnings is limited or precluded by law. With these remitted earnings, Spectrum Brands plans to voluntarily prepay its U.S. debt, repurchase shares and fund U.S. acquisitions and ongoing U.S. operational cash flow requirements. As a result of the valuation allowance recorded against Spectrum Brands’ U.S. net deferred tax assets, including net operating loss carryforwards, Spectrum Brands does not expect to incur incremental U.S. tax expense on the expected future repatriation of foreign earnings.

During the three months ended December 31, 2013, Spectrum Brands recorded a $178.7 reduction of its U.S. net operating loss carryforwards as a result of actual and deemed repatriations of foreign earnings. Due to full valuation allowances on the Spectrum Brands’ U.S. net operating loss carryforwards, there was no material impact on Spectrum Brands’ quarterly or projected annual income tax expense.