GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

The balance of goodwill, net is as follows (in thousands):



	Goodwill		Accumulated Impairment Loss			Net Goodwill
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	486,720	$	(483,088	)	$	3,632
Acquisition of CompareCards	$	52,450	—			$	52,450
Acquisition of SimpleTuition	$	375	—			$	375
Balance at December 31, 2016	$	539,545	$	(483,088	)	$	56,457

The balance of intangible assets, net is as follows (in thousands):



	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Intangible assets with indefinite lives	$	10,142	$	10,142
Intangible assets with definite lives, net	61,542		850
Total intangible assets, net	$	71,684	$	10,992

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

The Company's goodwill is associated with its one reportable segment. The carrying amount of goodwill increased during the year ended December 31, 2016 due to the acquisitions of CompareCards and SimpleTuition. See Note 6—Business Acquisitions for a discussion of the acquisitions and associated goodwill. There was no change in the carrying amount of goodwill during the year ended December 31, 2015. Results of the annual impairment test as of October 1, 2016 indicated that no impairment had occurred.

Intangible assets with indefinite lives relate to the Company's trademarks. Results of the annual impairment test as of October 1, 2016 indicated that no impairment had occurred.

Intangible Assets with Definite Lives

Intangible assets with definite lives relate to the following (dollars in thousands):



	Weighted Average Amortization Life	Cost		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Technology	4.0 years	$	28,300	$	(659	)	$	27,641
Customer lists	11.7 years	28,100		(639		)	27,461
Trademarks and tradenames	4.5 years	5,342		(937		)	4,405
Tenant leases	3.2 years	2,030		—			2,030
Other	3.0 years	250		(245		)	5
Balance at December 31, 2016		$	64,022	$	(2,480	)	$	61,542



	Weighted Average Amortization Life	Cost		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Customer lists	10.0 years	$	1,000	$	(150	)	$	850
Other	2.2 years	1,087		(1,087		)	—
Balance at December 31, 2015		$	2,087	$	(1,237	)	$	850

Amortization of intangible assets with definite lives is computed on a straight-line basis and, based on balances as of December 31, 2016, future amortization is estimated to be as follows (in thousands):



	Amortization Expense
Year ending December 31, 2017	$	11,175
Year ending December 31, 2018	11,037
Year ending December 31, 2019	10,783
Year ending December 31, 2020	9,935
Year ending December 31, 2021	3,270
Thereafter	15,342
Total intangible assets with definite lives, net	$	61,542

On November 16, 2016, the Company acquired Iron Horse Holdings, LLC, which does business under the name CompareCards. See Note 6—Business Acquisitions for a discussion of the acquisition and associated intangibles.

In December 2016, the Company acquired two office buildings in Charlotte, North Carolina. See Note 4—Property and Equipment for a discussion of the purchase and associated intangibles.

During 2014, the Company recorded an impairment charge in its Education business of approximately $0.4 million to customer lists. See Note 2—Significant Accounting Policies for a discussion of the impairment.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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