Description of Business (Details)	Dec. 04, 2019 USD ($) contract	Aug. 16, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 14, 2020 numberOfRestructuringAgreements	Sep. 15, 2020 numberOfLicenses	Aug. 31, 2020 USD ($) contract	Dec. 11, 2019	Nov. 30, 2019 USD ($) contract		Aug. 31, 2019	Jul. 28, 2017	Apr. 18, 2017
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Investment in limited partnership					$ 152,450,000		$ 137,849,000	[1]
Investment in life settlements fair value							$ 1,297,000
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	$ 12,700,000
8.5% Senior Secured Notes
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Debt interest rate					8.50%		8.50%	[1]	8.50%	8.50%
5.0% Convertible Notes
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Debt interest rate					5.00%		5.00%	[1]	5.00%		5.00%
Secured Notes | 8.5% Senior Secured Notes
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Debt interest rate										8.50%
Convertible Notes | 5.0% Convertible Notes
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Debt interest rate						5.00%
Subsequent Event
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Number of restructuring support agreements | numberOfRestructuringAgreements			2
Subsequent Event | Secured Notes | 8.5% Senior Secured Notes
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Debt interest rate			8.50%
Subsequent Event | Convertible Notes | 5.0% Convertible Notes
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Debt interest rate			5.00%
White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies canceled | contract	2
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	$ 2,000,000.0
Sun Life
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies canceled | contract	31
Investment in life settlements fair value	$ 163,500,000
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	36,100,000
Sun Life | White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Investment in life settlements fair value	$ 141,500,000
Number of policies owned | contract	28
Number of life insurance policies in receivable for maturity | contract	1
Receivable from maturity of life insurance contracts	$ 10,000,000.0
Payments for sale of life insurance contracts	$ 13,400,000
Sun Life | Emergent Capital, Inc.
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies canceled | contract	2
Investment in life settlements fair value	$ 12,000,000.0
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	12,700,000
Sun Life | Wilmington Trust
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Payments for sale of life insurance contracts	10,000,000.0
Sun Life | Class A Interests | White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Payments for sale of life insurance contracts	$ 13,400,000
WE Investment
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Investment in life settlements fair value					$ 2,400,000,000
Number of policies owned | contract					500
WE Investment | Lamington
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Equity investment ownership percentage		27.50%
Investment in limited partnership		$ 138,900,000			$ 152,500,000		$ 137,800,000
Subsidiaries | Subsequent Event | ILS
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Number of states in which life settlement licenses were sold | numberOfLicenses				12
Number of states in which life settlement licenses were surrendered | numberOfLicenses				17
Subsidiaries | WE Investment
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Equity investment ownership percentage					27.50%
Subsidiaries | WE Investment | White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Investment in life settlements fair value					$ 0		$ 1,297,000
Number of policies owned | contract					0		2
Subsidiaries | WE Investment | Lamington
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Equity investment ownership percentage		27.50%
Affiliates | Class A Interests | White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		$ 366,200,000
Affiliates | Class D Interests | White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		$ 8,000,000.0
Affiliates | Palomino | White Eagle
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest sold		72.50%

[1] Derived from audited consolidated financial statements.