Organization of Medallion Financial Corp. and its Subsidiaries	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization of Medallion Financial Corp. and its Subsidiaries	(1) ORGANIZATION OF MEDALLION FINANCIAL CORP. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES Medallion Financial Corp. (the Company) is a commercial finance company organized as a Delaware corporation that reports as a bank holding company (but is not a bank holding company for regulatory purposes). The Company conducts its business through various wholly-owned subsidiaries including its primary operating company, Medallion Bank, a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured industrial bank, that originates consumer loans, raises deposits, and conducts other banking activities. Medallion Bank is subject to competition from other financial institutions and to the regulations of certain federal and state agencies, and undergoes examinations by those agencies. Medallion Bank was initially formed for the primary purpose of originating commercial loans in three categories: 1) loans to finance the purchase of taxicab medallions, 2) asset-based commercial loans, and 3) SBA 7(a) loans. The loans are marketed and serviced by Medallion Bank’s affiliates that have extensive prior experience in these asset groups. Subsequent to its formation, Medallion Bank began originating consumer loans to finance the purchases of RVs, boats, and other related items, and to finance small scale home improvements. The Company also conducts business through Medallion Funding LLC (MFC), a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) which originates and services taxicab medallion and commercial loans. The Company also conducts business through its subsidiaries, Medallion Capital, Inc. (MCI), an SBIC which conducts a mezzanine financing business, and Freshstart Venture Capital Corp. (FSVC), an SBIC which originates and services taxicab medallion and commercial loans. MFC, MCI, and FSVC, as SBICs, are regulated by the Small Business Administration (SBA). MCI and FSVC are financed in part by the SBA. The Company has a controlling ownership stake in Medallion Motorsports, LLC, the primary owner of RPAC Racing, LLC (RPAC), a professional car racing team that competes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, which is also consolidated with the Company. The Company formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, Medallion Servicing Corporation (MSC), to provide loan services to Medallion Bank. The Company has assigned all of its loan servicing rights for Medallion Bank, which consists of servicing taxi medallion loans originated by Medallion Bank, to MSC, which bills and collects the related service fee income from Medallion Bank, and is allocated and charged by the Company for MSC’s share of these servicing costs. Taxi Medallion Loan Trust III (Trust III) was established for the purpose of owning medallion loans originated by MFC or others. Trust III is a variable interest entity (VIE), MFC is the primary beneficiary and as a result the Company consolidated Trust III in its financial results, until consummation of the restructuring subsequent to September 30, 2018. Trust III is a separate legal and corporate entity with its own creditors which, in any liquidation of Trust III, will be entitled to be satisfied out of Trust III’s assets prior to any value in Trust III becoming available to Trust III’s equity holders. The assets of Trust III, aggregating $63,512,000 at September 30, 2018, are not available to pay obligations of its affiliates or any other party, and the assets of affiliates or any other party are not available to pay obligations of Trust III. Trust III’s loans are serviced by MFC. As of September 30, 2018, Trust III had liabilities of $98,491,000 and a deficit of $34,979,000, as a result of losses taken on the medallion loans in Trust III. As of September 30, 2018, this amount exceeded the Company’s maximum exposure to Trust III, which is solely due to a limited guaranty by MFC of $5,987,000, by $28,992,000. Refer to Note 19 for a discussion of the restructuring the Company executed subsequent to September 30, 2018. The Company established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Medallion Financing Trust I (Fin Trust) for the purpose of issuing unsecured preferred securities to investors. Fin Trust is a separate legal and corporate entity with its own creditors who, in any liquidation of Fin Trust, will be entitled to be satisfied out of Fin Trust’s assets prior to any value in Fin Trust becoming available to Fin Trust’s equity holders. The assets of Fin Trust, aggregating $36,142,000 at September 30, 2018, are not available to pay obligations of its affiliates or any other party, and the assets of affiliates or any other party are not available to pay obligations of Fin Trust. MFC, through several wholly-owned subsidiaries (together, Medallion Chicago), purchased $8,689,000 of City of Chicago taxicab medallions out of foreclosure, which are leased to fleet operators while being held for sale. The 159 medallions are carried at a net realizable value of $5,535,000 on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2018 compared to fair value of $7,450,000 and $9,510,000 at December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017.

(1) ORGANIZATION OF MEDALLION FINANCIAL CORP. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

Medallion Financial Corp. (the Company) is a commercial finance company organized as a Delaware corporation that reports as a bank holding company (but is not a bank holding company for regulatory purposes). The Company conducts its business through various wholly-owned subsidiaries including its primary operating company, Medallion Bank, a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured industrial bank, that originates consumer loans, raises deposits, and conducts other banking activities. Medallion Bank is subject to competition from other financial institutions and to the regulations of certain federal and state agencies, and undergoes examinations by those agencies. Medallion Bank was initially formed for the primary purpose of originating commercial loans in three categories: 1) loans to finance the purchase of taxicab medallions, 2) asset-based commercial loans, and 3) SBA 7(a) loans. The loans are marketed and serviced by Medallion Bank’s affiliates that have extensive prior experience in these asset groups. Subsequent to its formation, Medallion Bank began originating consumer loans to finance the purchases of RVs, boats, and other related items, and to finance small scale home improvements. The Company also conducts business through Medallion Funding LLC (MFC), a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) which originates and services taxicab medallion and commercial loans.

The Company also conducts business through its subsidiaries, Medallion Capital, Inc. (MCI), an SBIC which conducts a mezzanine financing business, and Freshstart Venture Capital Corp. (FSVC), an SBIC which originates and services taxicab medallion and commercial loans. MFC, MCI, and FSVC, as SBICs, are regulated by the Small Business Administration (SBA). MCI and FSVC are financed in part by the SBA.

The Company has a controlling ownership stake in Medallion Motorsports, LLC, the primary owner of RPAC Racing, LLC (RPAC), a professional car racing team that competes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, which is also consolidated with the Company.

The Company formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, Medallion Servicing Corporation (MSC), to provide loan services to Medallion Bank. The Company has assigned all of its loan servicing rights for Medallion Bank, which consists of servicing taxi medallion loans originated by Medallion Bank, to MSC, which bills and collects the related service fee income from Medallion Bank, and is allocated and charged by the Company for MSC’s share of these servicing costs.

Taxi Medallion Loan Trust III (Trust III) was established for the purpose of owning medallion loans originated by MFC or others. Trust III is a variable interest entity (VIE), MFC is the primary beneficiary and as a result the Company consolidated Trust III in its financial results, until consummation of the restructuring subsequent to September 30, 2018. Trust III is a separate legal and corporate entity with its own creditors which, in any liquidation of Trust III, will be entitled to be satisfied out of Trust III’s assets prior to any value in Trust III becoming available to Trust III’s equity holders. The assets of Trust III, aggregating $63,512,000 at September 30, 2018, are not available to pay obligations of its affiliates or any other party, and the assets of affiliates or any other party are not available to pay obligations of Trust III. Trust III’s loans are serviced by MFC. As of September 30, 2018, Trust III had liabilities of $98,491,000 and a deficit of $34,979,000, as a result of losses taken on the medallion loans in Trust III. As of September 30, 2018, this amount exceeded the Company’s maximum exposure to Trust III, which is solely due to a limited guaranty by MFC of $5,987,000, by $28,992,000. Refer to Note 19 for a discussion of the restructuring the Company executed subsequent to September 30, 2018.

The Company established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Medallion Financing Trust I (Fin Trust) for the purpose of issuing unsecured preferred securities to investors. Fin Trust is a separate legal and corporate entity with its own creditors who, in any liquidation of Fin Trust, will be entitled to be satisfied out of Fin Trust’s assets prior to any value in Fin Trust becoming available to Fin Trust’s equity holders. The assets of Fin Trust, aggregating $36,142,000 at September 30, 2018, are not available to pay obligations of its affiliates or any other party, and the assets of affiliates or any other party are not available to pay obligations of Fin Trust.

MFC, through several wholly-owned subsidiaries (together, Medallion Chicago), purchased $8,689,000 of City of Chicago taxicab medallions out of foreclosure, which are leased to fleet operators while being held for sale. The 159 medallions are carried at a net realizable value of $5,535,000 on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2018 compared to fair value of $7,450,000 and $9,510,000 at December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017.