Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations	1. Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations. The interim financial statements of Rent-A-Center, Inc. included herein have been prepared by us pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the SEC's rules and regulations, although we believe the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. We suggest that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of those of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly our results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations. These financial statements include the accounts of Rent-A-Center, Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Unless the context indicates otherwise, references to “Rent-A-Center” refer only to Rent-A-Center, Inc., the parent, and references to “we,” “us” and “our” refer to the consolidated business operations of Rent-A-Center and all of its direct and indirect subsidiaries. Our primary operating segment consists of leasing household durable goods to customers on a rent-to-own basis. We also offer merchandise on an installment sales basis in certain of our stores. At September 30, 2011, we operated 3,002 company-owned stores nationwide and in Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, including 35 retail installment sales stores under the names “Get It Now” and “Home Choice,” and 20 rent-to-own stores in Canada under the name “Rent-A-Centre.” We also operate kiosk locations under the trade name “RAC Acceptance,” which offers the rent-to-own transaction to consumers who do not qualify for financing from the traditional retailer. These kiosks are located within such retailer's store locations. At September 30, 2011, we operated 721 RAC Acceptance locations. ColorTyme, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Rent-A-Center, is a nationwide franchisor of rent-to-own stores. At September 30, 2011, ColorTyme had 213 franchised stores operating in 33 states. ColorTyme's primary source of revenue is the sale of rental merchandise to its franchisees, who in turn offer the merchandise to the general public for rent or purchase under a rent-to-own program. The balance of ColorTyme's revenue is generated primarily from royalties based on franchisees' monthly gross revenues. From 2005 to 2010, we also offered an array of financial services in certain of our existing stores under the names “RAC Financial Services” and “Cash AdvantEdge.” The financial services we offered included, but were not limited to, short term secured and unsecured loans, debit cards, check cashing and money transfer services. New Accounting Pronouncements. In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment, (“ASU 2011-08”), which allows companies to waive comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount in assessing the recoverability of goodwill if, based on qualitative factors, it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. ASU 2011-08 will be effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated statement of earnings, financial condition, statement of cash flows or earnings per share. In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2011-05”), which allows an entity the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity. The amendments to the Codification in the ASU do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income and are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 will not have a financial impact on our consolidated statement of earnings, financial condition, statement of cash flows or earnings per share. In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs (“ASU 2011-04”). The amendments in this ASU generally represent clarification of Topic 820, but also include instances where a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or disclosing information about fair value measurements has changed. This update results in common principles and requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The amendments are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and are to be applied prospectively. Early application is not permitted. The adoption of ASU 2011-04 will not have a material impact on our consolidated statement of earnings, financial condition, statement of cash flows or earnings per share. From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standards setting bodies that we adopt as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, we believe the impact of any other recently issued standards that are not yet effective are either not applicable to us at this time or will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations

1. Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations.

The interim financial statements of Rent-A-Center, Inc. included herein have been prepared by us pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the SEC's rules and regulations, although we believe the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. We suggest that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of those of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly our results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations. These financial statements include the accounts of Rent-A-Center, Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Unless the context indicates otherwise, references to “Rent-A-Center” refer only to Rent-A-Center, Inc., the parent, and references to “we,” “us” and “our” refer to the consolidated business operations of Rent-A-Center and all of its direct and indirect subsidiaries.

Our primary operating segment consists of leasing household durable goods to customers on a rent-to-own basis. We also offer merchandise on an installment sales basis in certain of our stores. At September 30, 2011, we operated 3,002 company-owned stores nationwide and in Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, including 35 retail installment sales stores under the names “Get It Now” and “Home Choice,” and 20 rent-to-own stores in Canada under the name “Rent-A-Centre.”

We also operate kiosk locations under the trade name “RAC Acceptance,” which offers the rent-to-own transaction to consumers who do not qualify for financing from the traditional retailer. These kiosks are located within such retailer's store locations. At September 30, 2011, we operated 721 RAC Acceptance locations.

ColorTyme, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Rent-A-Center, is a nationwide franchisor of rent-to-own stores. At September 30, 2011, ColorTyme had 213 franchised stores operating in 33 states. ColorTyme's primary source of revenue is the sale of rental merchandise to its franchisees, who in turn offer the merchandise to the general public for rent or purchase under a rent-to-own program. The balance of ColorTyme's revenue is generated primarily from royalties based on franchisees' monthly gross revenues.

From 2005 to 2010, we also offered an array of financial services in certain of our existing stores under the names “RAC Financial Services” and “Cash AdvantEdge.” The financial services we offered included, but were not limited to, short term secured and unsecured loans, debit cards, check cashing and money transfer services.

New Accounting Pronouncements. In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment, (“ASU 2011-08”), which allows companies to waive comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount in assessing the recoverability of goodwill if, based on qualitative factors, it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. ASU 2011-08 will be effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated statement of earnings, financial condition, statement of cash flows or earnings per share.

In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2011-05”), which allows an entity the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity. The amendments to the Codification in the ASU do not change the items that must be reported in other

comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income and are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 will not have a financial impact on our consolidated statement of earnings, financial condition, statement of cash flows or earnings per share.

In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs (“ASU 2011-04”). The amendments in this ASU generally represent clarification of Topic 820, but also include instances where a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or disclosing information about fair value measurements has changed. This update results in common principles and requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The amendments are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and are to be applied prospectively. Early application is not permitted. The adoption of ASU 2011-04 will not have a material impact on our consolidated statement of earnings, financial condition, statement of cash flows or earnings per share.

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standards setting bodies that we adopt as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, we believe the impact of any other recently issued standards that are not yet effective are either not applicable to us at this time or will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements upon adoption.