Legal Proceedings	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Loss Contingency Information About Litigation Matters [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	NOTE 19 – Legal Proceedings Our company and its subsidiaries are named in and subject to various proceedings and claims arising primarily from our securities business activities, including lawsuits, arbitration claims, class actions, and regulatory matters. Some of these claims seek substantial compensatory, punitive, or indeterminate damages. Our company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other reviews, investigations, and proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory organizations regarding our business, which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions, and other relief. We are contesting the allegations in these claims, and we believe that there are meritorious defenses in each of these lawsuits, arbitrations, and regulatory investigations. In view of the number and diversity of claims against our company, the number of jurisdictions in which litigation is pending, and the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and other claims, we cannot state with certainty what the eventual outcome of pending litigation or other claims will be. We have established reserves for potential losses that are probable and reasonably estimable that may result from pending and potential legal actions, investigations, and regulatory proceedings. In many cases, however, it is inherently difficult to determine whether any loss is probable or even possible or to estimate the amount or range of any potential loss, particularly where proceedings may be in relatively early stages or where plaintiffs are seeking substantial or indeterminate damages. Matters frequently need to be more developed before a loss or range of loss can reasonably be estimated. In our opinion, based on currently available information, review with outside legal counsel, and consideration of amounts provided for in our consolidated financial statements with respect to these matters, including the matters described below, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations. However, resolution of one or more of these matters may have a material effect on the results of operations in any future period, depending upon the ultimate resolution of those matters and depending upon the level of income for such period. For matters where a reserve has not been established and for which we believe a loss is reasonably possible, as well as for matters where a reserve has been recorded but for which an exposure to loss in excess of the amount accrued is reasonably possible, based on currently available information, we believe that such losses will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. SEC/Wisconsin Lawsuit We have previously disclosed the civil lawsuit filed against our company in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on August 10, 2011. The action has been set for trial commencing on April 11, 2016 and we believe, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, that we have meritorious defenses to the SEC’s lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the SEC’s claims. EDC Bond Issuance Matter We have previously disclosed the various claims asserted by LDF Acquisition LLC, a special purpose vehicle created by Saybrook Tax Exempt Investors LLC (collectively “Saybrook”) and by the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and its Lake of the Torches Economic Development Corporation (the “Tribe”) in which, among other things, Saybrook seeks repayment from the Tribe for the proceeds from a 2008 bond offering and in which the Tribe seeks to avoid repayment. The claims are not yet set for trial. While there can be no assurance that we will be successful, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, we believe that we have meritorious legal and factual defenses to the matter, and we intend to vigorously defend the claims.

NOTE 19 – Legal Proceedings

Our company and its subsidiaries are named in and subject to various proceedings and claims arising primarily from our securities business activities, including lawsuits, arbitration claims, class actions, and regulatory matters. Some of these claims seek substantial compensatory, punitive, or indeterminate damages. Our company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other reviews, investigations, and proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory organizations regarding our business, which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions, and other relief. We are contesting the allegations in these claims, and we believe that there are meritorious defenses in each of these lawsuits, arbitrations, and regulatory investigations. In view of the number and diversity of claims against our company, the number of jurisdictions in which litigation is pending, and the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and other claims, we cannot state with certainty what the eventual outcome of pending litigation or other claims will be.

We have established reserves for potential losses that are probable and reasonably estimable that may result from pending and potential legal actions, investigations, and regulatory proceedings. In many cases, however, it is inherently difficult to determine whether any loss is probable or even possible or to estimate the amount or range of any potential loss, particularly where proceedings may be in relatively early stages or where plaintiffs are seeking substantial or indeterminate damages. Matters frequently need to be more developed before a loss or range of loss can reasonably be estimated.

In our opinion, based on currently available information, review with outside legal counsel, and consideration of amounts provided for in our consolidated financial statements with respect to these matters, including the matters described below, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations. However, resolution of one or more of these matters may have a material effect on the results of operations in any future period, depending upon the ultimate resolution of those matters and depending upon the level of income for such period. For matters where a reserve has not been established and for which we believe a loss is reasonably possible, as well as for matters where a reserve has been recorded but for which an exposure to loss in excess of the amount accrued is reasonably possible, based on currently available information, we believe that such losses will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

SEC/Wisconsin Lawsuit

We have previously disclosed the civil lawsuit filed against our company in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on August 10, 2011. The action has been set for trial commencing on April 11, 2016 and we believe, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, that we have meritorious defenses to the SEC’s lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the SEC’s claims.

EDC Bond Issuance Matter

We have previously disclosed the various claims asserted by LDF Acquisition LLC, a special purpose vehicle created by Saybrook Tax Exempt Investors LLC (collectively “Saybrook”) and by the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and its Lake of the Torches Economic Development Corporation (the “Tribe”) in which, among other things, Saybrook seeks repayment from the Tribe for the proceeds from a 2008 bond offering and in which the Tribe seeks to avoid repayment. The claims are not yet set for trial. While there can be no assurance that we will be successful, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, we believe that we have meritorious legal and factual defenses to the matter, and we intend to vigorously defend the claims.