Discontinued Operations (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 33,076		$ 40,751	$ 39,347		$ 34,326
Service fees receivable	721			817
Other assets	30,234			32,005
Total Assets	223,157	[1]		244,637	[1]
Liabilities
Other liabilities	19,803			28,975
Total Liabilities	88,976	[2]		107,370	[2]
Statements of Earnings
Revenues	10,074		18,687
Costs and expenses	13,031		13,062
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(2,158)		10,092
Income tax expense (benefit)	(75)		832
Income from discontinued operations	111		213
ABL
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	297			594
Restricted cash	1,273			1,154
Loans receivable - SBA held for sale	3,588			1,087
Loans receivable - SBA held for investment, net of allowance for loan losses of $518 and $518	20,392			19,372
Service fees receivable	58			55
Servicing assets - SBA loans	1,122			1,131
Other assets	709			750
Total Assets	27,439			24,143
Liabilities
Notes payable to bank	18,290			15,214
Other liabilities	1,606			1,450
Total Liabilities	19,896			16,664
Statements of Earnings
Revenues	778		1,100
Costs and expenses	666		886
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	112		214
Income tax expense (benefit)	1		1
Income from discontinued operations	$ 111		$ 213

[1] Our consolidated assets at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include the following assets of certain variable interest entities ("VIEs") that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs: Cash and cash equivalents, $15.7 million and $22.3 million; Portfolio Assets, $39.4 million and $42.1 million; Loans receivable, $10.2 million and $12.7 million; Equity investments, $11.7 million and $21.6 million; Assets held for sale, $27.4 million and $24.1 million; various other assets, $28.5 million and $31.1 million; and Total assets, $132.9 million and $153.8 million, respectively.

[2] Our consolidated liabilities at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include the following VIE liabilities for which the VIE creditors do not have recourse to FirstCity: Notes payable, $22.6 million and $26.5 million; Liabilities associated with assets held for sale, $1.5 million and $1.4 million; Other liabilities, $12.2 million and $16.8 million; and Total liabilities, $36.3 million and $44.7 million, respectively.