Financial Statement Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Financial Statement Presentation	Financial Statement Presentation Description of Operations – Novation Companies, Inc. (the “Company” or "Novation" or "we” or “us”) owns 100% of Corvisa LLC ("Corvisa"). Corvisa provides cloud-based communication software under the CorvisaOne® brand and implementation consulting services for its own customers as well as customers of a leading customer relationship management (CRM) software provider. This business was formerly known as CorvisaCloud, LLC, but was rebranded to Corvisa during the three months ended March 31, 2015. On April 16, 2014 we announced a significant strategic shift for Novation with the decision to focus our resources primarily on the business of Corvisa. This decision was based largely on the Company's belief that Corvisa represents a better opportunity for Novation to build long-term shareholder value due to Corvisa's CorvisaOne® technology platform and the size of its target customer base. On April 16, 2014, the Company and the non-controlling members of StreetLinks, a national residential appraisal and mortgage real estate valuation management services company, entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Assurant Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Assurant, Inc. ("Assurant"), pursuant to which Assurant purchased 100% of the outstanding membership units of StreetLinks. See Note 3 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding this transaction. The operations of StreetLinks have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. On August 18, 2014, the Company sold certain intellectual property, software, and customer data of its other operating subsidiary, Advent Financial Services LLC (“Advent”), to Santa Barbara Tax Products Group, LLC, and announced that it would be conducting an orderly winding-down of the remaining business and operations of Advent; a financial settlement services provider for professional tax preparers nationwide. As discussed in Note 3, the operations of Advent have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Prior to 2008, the Company originated, purchased, securitized, sold, invested in and serviced residential nonconforming mortgage loans and mortgage securities. As a result of those activities, the Company acquired mortgage securities that continue to be a source of its earnings and cash flow. See Note 4 and Note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding these securities and valuation thereof. Also as a result of those activities, the Company may, from time to time, receive indemnification and loan repurchase demands related to past sales of loans to securitization trusts and other third parties. See Note 7 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding these demands. Financial Statement Presentation – The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expense during the period. The Company uses estimates and judgments in establishing the fair value of its mortgage securities and accounting for income taxes, including the determination of the timing of the establishment or release of the valuation allowance related to the deferred tax asset balances and reserves for uncertain tax positions. While the condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes reflect the best estimates and judgments of management at the time, actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. Cash equivalents consist of liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. The condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company's condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited. In the opinion of management, all necessary adjustments have been made, which were of a normal and recurring nature, for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company's condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. Comparability. As noted in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, during the fourth quarter of 2014 the Company elected to update the presentation of its consolidated statement of operations to be more consistent with industry practice and allow for enhanced comparability between Corvisa and its peers. This update involved moving from the Company's historical presentation of only two categories of operating expenses to the revised presentation, which presents four categories of operation expenses: Cost of services, Development, Sales and marketing, and General and administrative. As a result, operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2014 have been reclassified to conform to the revised presentation.

Financial Statement Presentation

Description of Operations – Novation Companies, Inc. (the “Company” or "Novation" or "we” or “us”) owns 100% of Corvisa LLC ("Corvisa"). Corvisa provides cloud-based communication software under the CorvisaOne® brand and implementation consulting services for its own customers as well as customers of a leading customer relationship management (CRM) software provider. This business was formerly known as CorvisaCloud, LLC, but was rebranded to Corvisa during the three months ended March 31, 2015.

On April 16, 2014 we announced a significant strategic shift for Novation with the decision to focus our resources primarily on the business of Corvisa. This decision was based largely on the Company's belief that Corvisa represents a better opportunity for Novation to build long-term shareholder value due to Corvisa's CorvisaOne® technology platform and the size of its target customer base.

On April 16, 2014, the Company and the non-controlling members of StreetLinks, a national residential appraisal and mortgage real estate valuation management services company, entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Assurant Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Assurant, Inc. ("Assurant"), pursuant to which Assurant purchased 100% of the outstanding membership units of StreetLinks. See Note 3 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding this transaction. The operations of StreetLinks have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

On August 18, 2014, the Company sold certain intellectual property, software, and customer data of its other operating subsidiary, Advent Financial Services LLC (“Advent”), to Santa Barbara Tax Products Group, LLC, and announced that it would be conducting an orderly winding-down of the remaining business and operations of Advent; a financial settlement services provider for professional tax preparers nationwide. As discussed in Note 3, the operations of Advent have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Prior to 2008, the Company originated, purchased, securitized, sold, invested in and serviced residential nonconforming mortgage loans and mortgage securities. As a result of those activities, the Company acquired mortgage securities that continue to be a source of its earnings and cash flow. See Note 4 and Note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding these securities and valuation thereof. Also as a result of those activities, the Company may, from time to time, receive indemnification and loan repurchase demands related to past sales of loans to securitization trusts and other third parties. See Note 7 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding these demands.

Financial Statement Presentation – The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expense during the period. The Company uses estimates and judgments in establishing the fair value of its mortgage securities and accounting for income taxes, including the determination of the timing of the establishment or release of the valuation allowance related to the deferred tax asset balances and reserves for uncertain tax positions. While the condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes reflect the best estimates and judgments of management at the time, actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Cash equivalents consist of liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value.

The condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company's condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited. In the opinion of management, all necessary adjustments have been made, which were of a normal and recurring nature, for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company's condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.

Comparability. As noted in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, during the fourth quarter of 2014 the Company elected to update the presentation of its consolidated statement of operations to be more consistent with industry practice and allow for enhanced comparability between Corvisa and its peers. This update involved moving from the Company's historical presentation of only two categories of operating expenses to the revised presentation, which presents four categories of operation expenses: Cost of services, Development, Sales and marketing, and General and administrative. As a result, operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2014 have been reclassified to conform to the revised presentation.