Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2013
Significant Accounting Policies
Stock-Based Compensation	*Stock-Based Compensation* The Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan provides for awards of nonstatutory and incentive stock options (“Stock Options”), time-based restricted stock units, performance-based restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance units and stock grants. The Company estimates the value of the Stock Options, time-based restricted stock units and performance-based restricted stock units awarded with reference to the value of its underlying common stock on the date of the award. Compensation costs are fixed, except for performance-based restricted stock units, at the estimated fair value as of the award date as all grantees are employees and directors of the Company or PennyMac. The Company amortizes the cost of time-based restricted stock unit awards to compensation expense over the vesting period using the graded vesting method. The Company amortizes performance-based restricted stock unit awards on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Expense relating to awards is included in Compensation in the consolidated statements of income.
Income Taxes	Income Taxes As a result of the PennyMac recapitalization and reorganization, the Company expects to benefit from amortization and other tax deductions due to an increase in tax basis due to the exchange of PennyMac Class A units. Those deductions will be allocated to the Company and will be taken into account in reporting the Company's taxable income. The Company has entered into an agreement with the unitholders of PennyMac that will provide for the additional payment by the Company to exchanging unitholders of PennyMac equal to 85% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that PFSI realizes due to (i) increases in tax basis resulting from exchanges of the then-existing unitholders and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to PFSI entering into the tax receivable agreement, including tax benefits attributable to payments under the tax receivable agreement. The Company is subject to federal and state income taxes. Income taxes are provided using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized as income in the period in which the change occurs. A valuation allowance is established if, in management’s judgment, it is not more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will be realized. The Company recognizes tax benefits relating to its tax positions only if, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by the appropriate taxing authority. A tax position that meets this standard is recognized as the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the appropriate taxing authority. The Company will classify any penalties and interest as a component of provision for income taxes.

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.

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