Finance Receivables (Details 6) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013 Real Estate Loans	Dec. 31, 2012 Real Estate Loans
TDR FINANCE RECEIVABLES
TDR gross finance receivables		$ 963,851	$ 802,495
TDR net finance receivables		967,900	806,420
Allowance for TDR finance receivable losses		119,470	92,723
Amount of commitments to lend additional funds on TDR finance receivables	$ 0

Represents the amount of commitments to lend additional funds on TDR finance receivables of the entity.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	slfc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to receivables which had been measured under a general allowance for credit losses methodology that are now identified as troubled debt restructurings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 40

-Section 65

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7484272&loc=SL7484277-172609

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllowanceForCreditLossesChangeInMethodOfCalculatingImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the outstanding recorded investment related to financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6951948&loc=d3e18845-111554

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of receivables for which the allowance for credit losses had previously been measured under a general allowance for credit losses methodology, and are now identified as troubled debt restructurings.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant