Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
		Feb. 03, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, membership units not held, share ratio			$ 10		$ 10
Common Stock, Shares, Issued			1,246,710			1,193,624
Edward E. Cohen IRA [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Long-term Debt		$ 4,386
Junior subordinated debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ownership value of common stock of trusts			$ 1,489
12.00% Non-convertible Senior Notes (2020 Senior Notes) [Member] | Non-convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding			$ 4,500
Stated interest rate	[1]		12.00%
Maturity			Jan. 01, 2022
12.00% Non-convertible Senior Notes (2019 Senior Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding						$ 2,400
12.00% Non-convertible Senior Notes (2019 Senior Notes) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, in event of default			9.00%
12.00% Non-convertible Senior Notes (2019 Senior Notes) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, in event of default			13.00%
12.00% Non-convertible Senior Notes (2019 Senior Notes) [Member] | Non-convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding			$ 2,400			$ 6,786
Stated interest rate			12.00%	[1]		8.00%
Maturity	[2]		Sep. 25, 2020
Interest rate, in event of default			13.00%			9.00%
Alesco Capital Trust I [Member] | Junior subordinated debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding	[3]		$ 28,125			$ 28,125
Stated interest rate	[1],[3]		5.77%
Maturity	[3]		Jul. 30, 2037
Sunset Financial Statutory Trust I [Member] | Junior subordinated debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding	[3]		$ 20,000			20,000
Stated interest rate	[1],[3]		5.52%
Maturity	[3]		Mar. 30, 2035
8.00% Contingent Convertible Senior Notes (2017 Convertible Note) [Member] | Contingent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding			$ 15,000			15,000
Stated interest rate	[1]		8.00%
Maturity	[4]		Mar. 31, 2022
2017 Convertible Note [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per unit			$ 1.45
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, membership units not held, share ratio			$ 14.50
FT Financial Bank, N.A. [Member] | Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding			$ 17,500
Maturity			Apr. 10, 2021
Aggregate borrowing capacity			$ 25,000
Legacy Texas [Member] | Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt outstanding						$ 4,777
2018 FT LOC [Member] | Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity			$ 7,500

[1] Represents the interest rate in effect as of the last day of the reporting period.

[2] On September 25, 2019, the Company amended the previously outstanding 2013 Convertible Notes, which were scheduled to mature on September 25, 2019. The material terms and conditions of the 2013 Convertible Notes remained substantially the same, except that (i) the maturity date changed from September 25, 2019 to September 25, 2020; (ii) the conversion feature in the 2013 Convertible Notes was removed; (iii) the interest rate changed from 8% per annum (9% in the event of certain events of default) to 12% per annum (13% in the event of certain events of default); and (iv) the restrictions regarding the prepayment were removed. The post amendment notes are referred to herein as the "2019 Senior Notes" and the pre-amendment notes are referred to herein as the "2013 Convertible Notes."

[3] The junior subordinated notes listed represent debt the Company owes to the two trusts noted above. The total par amount owed by the Company to the trusts is $49,614. However, the Company owns the common stock of the trusts in a total par amount of $1,489. The Company pays interest (and at maturity, principal) to the trusts on the entire $49,614 junior notes outstanding. However, the Company receives back from the trusts the pro rata share of interest and principal on the common stock held by the Company. These trusts are VIEs and the Company does not consolidate them even though the Company holds the common stock. The Company carries the common stock on its balance sheet at a value of $0. The junior subordinated notes are recorded at a discount to par. When factoring in the discount, the yield to maturity of the junior subordinated notes as of March 31, 2020 on a combined basis was 15.04% assuming the variable rate in effect on the last day of the reporting period remains in effect until maturity.

[4] The holder of the 2017 Convertible Note may convert all or any part of the outstanding principal amount at any time prior to maturity into units of membership interests of the Operating LLC at a conversion price of $1.45 per unit, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. Units of membership interests in the Operating LLC not held by Cohen & Company Inc. may, with certain restrictions, be redeemed and exchanged into shares of the Cohen & Company Inc. common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”) on a ten-for-one basis. Therefore, the 2017 Convertible Note can be converted into Operating LLC units of membership interests and then redeemed and exchanged into Common Stock at an effective conversion price of $14.50. See note 20 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.