XML 62 R83.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent   35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate    
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)   $ 37,332,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (184,560,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (1,584,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount 187,600,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount   11,900,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount  
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance   13,027,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 14,669,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance  
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic   47,200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic 72,700,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic  
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, State and Local   36,100,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal 38,082,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal  
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration   200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsSubjectToExpiration    
Liability for Uncertain Tax Positions, Current   800,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsCurrent 300,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsCurrent  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate   900,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 400,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense   200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense (400,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued   300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued  
Significant (Increase) Decrease in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible, Estimated Range of Change, Lower Bound   0us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeLowerBound    
Significant (Increase) Decrease in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible, Estimated Range of Change, Upper Bound   200,000us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeUpperBound    
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Minimum [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Open Tax Year   2011    
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Maximum [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Open Tax Year   2014    
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | Minimum [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Open Tax Year   2010    
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | Maximum [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Open Tax Year   2014    
Energy Credits [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Other Tax Expense (Benefit)     (6,500,000)us-gaap_OtherTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis
= mdc_EnergyCreditsMember		  
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance   6,700,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis
= mdc_OperatingLossCarryforwardsMember		    
Metropolitan District Bond Securities [Member]        
Note 14 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]        
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance   $ 6,300,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis
= mdc_MetropolitanDistrictBondSecuritiesMember