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Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Abstract]  
Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Text Block] Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Installment sales receivables consist primarily of receivables due from customers for the sale of merchandise in our retail installment stores. Trade and notes receivables consist primarily of amounts due from our rental customers for renewal and uncollected rental payments; amounts owed from our franchisees for inventory purchases, earned royalties and other obligations; and other corporate related receivables.
Receivables consist of the following:
 
December 31,
(In thousands)
2019
 
2018
Installment sales receivable
$
56,370

 
$
54,746

Trade and notes receivables
33,354

 
19,782

Total receivables
89,724

 
74,528

Less allowance for doubtful accounts
(5,601
)
 
(4,883
)
Total receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts
$
84,123

 
$
69,645


We maintain allowances against our receivable balances, primarily related to expected merchandise returns and uncollectible payments due from our virtual rental and installment customers. The allowance for doubtful accounts related to trade and notes receivable was $1.5 million and $1.3 million, and the allowance for doubtful accounts related to installment sales receivable was $4.1 million and $3.6 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Changes in our allowance for doubtful accounts are as follows: 
 
Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)
2019
 
2018
 
2017
Beginning allowance for doubtful accounts
$
4,883

 
$
4,167

 
$
3,593

Estimated uncollectible payments and returns(1)(2)
15,077

 
14,610

 
15,702

Accounts written off, net of recoveries
(14,359
)
 
(13,894
)
 
(15,128
)
 Ending allowance for doubtful accounts
$
5,601

 
$
4,883

 
$
4,167

(1) Uncollectible installment payments, franchisee obligations, and other corporate receivables, are recognized in other store operating expenses in our condensed consolidated financial statements.
(2) Uncollectible rental payments and returns are recognized as a reduction to rental revenue in our condensed consolidated financial statements.