Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets in partnership	$ 260,500,000
Convertible promissory note to FSI	18,000,000
Potential ownership interest upon conversion of notes issued to FSI	49.90%
Convertible promissory note minimum coupon rate	8.00%
Maximum rate of interest related to certain defined cash flows	18.00%
Liabilities related to VIE	7,196,113,000us-gaap_Liabilities	6,946,890,000us-gaap_Liabilities
Stifel Financial Corp. [Member]
Loss exposure	18,000,000
Weisel Capital Management LLC [Member]
Assets in partnership	$ 272,400,000

Convertible Promissory Note Minimum Coupon Rate Maximum

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- Definition

Convertible Promissory Note Minimum Coupon Rate Minimum

+ References

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- Definition

Potential Ownership Interest Upon Conversion Of Notes Issued

+ References

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all liabilities that are recognized. Liabilities are probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of an entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19-26)

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- Definition

The principal amount of the receivable or note before consideration of the discount or premium.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

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- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph b

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=d3e5728-111685

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (c)

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- Definition

Carrying amount of the assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the reporting entity's variable interest in the Variable Interest Entity (VIE), where the reporting entity is not the VIE's primary beneficiary.

+ References

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