Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity - USD ($)	Total	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Treasury Stock	Total GWG Holdings Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 281,058,000	$ 215,973,000	$ 33,000	$ 249,662,000	$ (184,610,000)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		245,883	33,018,161
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(35,945,000)				(35,945,000)
Issuance of common stock	419,000			419,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			58,009
Repurchase of common stock	(361,000)			(361,000)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(42,750)
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock	(3,235,000)	$ (3,235,000)
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock (in shares)		(3,235)
Preferred stock dividends	(8,574,000)			(8,574,000)
Equity-based compensation	172,000			172,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	233,534,000	$ 212,738,000	$ 33,000	241,318,000	(220,555,000)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		242,648	33,033,420
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019	261,258,000	$ 215,154,000	$ 33,000	245,295,000	(199,224,000)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		245,064	32,992,606
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(21,331,000)				(21,331,000)
Issuance of common stock	326,000			326,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			40,874
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(60)
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock	(2,416,000)	$ (2,416,000)
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock (in shares)		(2,416)
Preferred stock dividends	(4,278,000)			(4,278,000)
Equity-based compensation	(25,000)			(25,000)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	233,534,000	$ 212,738,000	$ 33,000	241,318,000	(220,555,000)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		242,648	33,033,420
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	600,827,000	$ 201,891,000	$ 33,000	233,106,000	(76,501,000)	$ (24,550,000)	$ 333,979,000	$ 266,848,000
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		231,800	30,533,793
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(64,592,000)				(59,854,000)		(59,854,000)	(4,738,000)
Net loss	(70,215,000)
Issuance of common stock	26,000			26,000			26,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			3,688
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock	(24,489,000)	$ (24,489,000)					(24,489,000)
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock (in shares)		(24,489)
Preferred stock dividends	(7,666,000)			(7,666,000)			(7,666,000)
Equity-based compensation	73,194,000			71,000			71,000	73,123,000
Forfeiture of vested equity-based compensation	(36,267,000)							(36,267,000)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(261,000)							(261,000)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020	540,772,000	$ 177,402,000	$ 33,000	225,537,000	(136,355,000)	(24,550,000)	242,067,000	298,705,000
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		207,311	30,537,481
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	1,269,654,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests
Net loss	(5,623,000)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020	1,264,031,000
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2020	601,126,000	$ 186,658,000	$ 33,000	229,207,000	(121,933,000)	(24,550,000)	269,415,000	331,711,000
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		216,567	30,535,249
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(15,089,000)				(14,422,000)		(14,422,000)	(667,000)
Net loss	7,301,000
Issuance of common stock	8,000			8,000			8,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			2,232
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock	(9,256,000)	$ (9,256,000)					(9,256,000)
Redemption of redeemable preferred stock (in shares)		(9,256)
Preferred stock dividends	(3,714,000)			(3,714,000)			(3,714,000)
Equity-based compensation	4,225,000			36,000			36,000	4,189,000
Forfeiture of vested equity-based compensation	(36,267,000)							(36,267,000)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(261,000)							(261,000)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020	540,772,000	$ 177,402,000	$ 33,000	$ 225,537,000	$ (136,355,000)	$ (24,550,000)	$ 242,067,000	$ 298,705,000
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		207,311	30,537,481
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2020	1,241,641,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests
Net loss	22,390,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 1,264,031,000