Basis of Presentation, Business Plan and Liquidity (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation, Business Plan and Liquidity [Text Block]	Basis of Presentation, Business Plan and Liquidity Description of Operations. As of December 31, 2015, Novation Companies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Novation” or “we” or “us”) owned 100% of Corvisa LLC ("Corvisa"), a developer and seller of cloud-based communication software under the CorvisaOne® brand, telecommunications services, and implementation consulting services. On December 21, 2015, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with Corvisa Services LLC ("Corvisa Services"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and ShoreTel, Inc. ("ShoreTel"). Subject to the terms and conditions under the Purchase Agreement, ShoreTel agreed to purchase all of the membership interests of Corvisa. This transaction closed on January 6, 2016. The operations of Corvisa have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. With the sale of Corvisa, the Company intends to continue its strategy of seeking to acquire operating businesses or making other investments that generate taxable earnings. As of the date the financial statements included in this report are issued, the Company has not yet identified any specific acquisition targets. With the Company's divestiture of StreetLinks LLC ("StreetLinks") and Advent Financial Services LLC ("Advent") in 2014, both of which are discussed further below, the Company transferred the employees of Corvisa Services and approximately $1.0 million of Corvisa Services' assets to Corvisa during the fourth quarter of 2014. Prior to the transfer, Corvisa Services provided certain IT, procurement, human resources, and other shared services to the Company's portfolio of operating subsidiaries. As a result of these transfers, and in accordance with the relevant accounting guidance on transactions between entities under common control, the operating results of Corvisa Services have been consolidated with the operating results of Corvisa and included in discontinued operations for all periods presented. On August 18, 2014, the Company sold certain intellectual property, software, and customer data of its 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. The operations of Advent have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. On April 16, 2014, the Company and the non-controlling members of StreetLinks LLC ("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. The operations of StreetLinks have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Prior to 2008, we originated, purchased, securitized, sold, invested in and serviced residential nonconforming mortgage loans and mortgage securities. Although those activities have been discontinued, as a result of those activities, we acquired and own mortgage securities that continue to be a source of our cash flow. See Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding the Company's divestiture activity. Liquidity. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had approximately $2.8 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and $0.6 million of restricted cash, portions of which are included in the other current assets and other assets line items on the consolidated balance sheet. In addition, the Company held approximately $18.9 million in marketable securities, which consist of approximately $16.9 million in corporate notes and bonds with average remaining maturities between six months and 21 months as of December 31, 2015, and approximately $2.0 million in mortgage securities, which contributed approximately $6.3 million in cash flows during 2015. The Company's marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale as of December 31, 2015 and are included in the current and non-current marketable securities line items on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015. For additional information regarding the Company's marketable securities, see Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements. Based on current projections, the Company believes its existing liquid assets, as described above, and the ongoing cash flows from its mortgage securities portfolio will be sufficient to sustain the Company for a period of at least twelve months and enable the Company to effectively implement its strategy of seeking to acquire operating businesses or making other investments that generate taxable income. While the Company acknowledges that cash flows from its mortgage securities portfolio can be volatile in nature, the recent performance of these securities would suggest that these securities will continue to be a source of cash flows for the near future. The Company's ongoing contractual obligations subsequent to the sale of Corvisa consist primarily of its Senior Notes, which are detailed further in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements, and certain operating lease agreements, which are detailed in Note 7. Financial Statement Presentation. The Company’s 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 consolidated financial statements and footnotes reflect the best estimates and judgments of management at the time, actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. The 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.

Basis of Presentation, Business Plan and Liquidity

Description of Operations. As of December 31, 2015, Novation Companies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Novation” or “we” or “us”) owned 100% of Corvisa LLC ("Corvisa"), a developer and seller of cloud-based communication software under the CorvisaOne® brand, telecommunications services, and implementation consulting services. On December 21, 2015, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with Corvisa Services LLC ("Corvisa Services"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and ShoreTel, Inc. ("ShoreTel"). Subject to the terms and conditions under the Purchase Agreement, ShoreTel agreed to purchase all of the membership interests of Corvisa. This transaction closed on January 6, 2016. The operations of Corvisa have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

With the sale of Corvisa, the Company intends to continue its strategy of seeking to acquire operating businesses or making other investments that generate taxable earnings. As of the date the financial statements included in this report are issued, the Company has not yet identified any specific acquisition targets.

With the Company's divestiture of StreetLinks LLC ("StreetLinks") and Advent Financial Services LLC ("Advent") in 2014, both of which are discussed further below, the Company transferred the employees of Corvisa Services and approximately $1.0 million of Corvisa Services' assets to Corvisa during the fourth quarter of 2014. Prior to the transfer, Corvisa Services provided certain IT, procurement, human resources, and other shared services to the Company's portfolio of operating subsidiaries. As a result of these transfers, and in accordance with the relevant accounting guidance on transactions between entities under common control, the operating results of Corvisa Services have been consolidated with the operating results of Corvisa and included in discontinued operations for all periods presented.

On August 18, 2014, the Company sold certain intellectual property, software, and customer data of its 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. The operations of Advent have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

On April 16, 2014, the Company and the non-controlling members of StreetLinks LLC ("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. The operations of StreetLinks have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Prior to 2008, we originated, purchased, securitized, sold, invested in and serviced residential nonconforming mortgage loans and mortgage securities. Although those activities have been discontinued, as a result of those activities, we acquired and own mortgage securities that continue to be a source of our cash flow.

See Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding the Company's divestiture activity.

Liquidity. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had approximately $2.8 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and $0.6 million of restricted cash, portions of which are included in the other current assets and other assets line items on the consolidated balance sheet. In addition, the Company held approximately $18.9 million in marketable securities, which consist of approximately $16.9 million in corporate notes and bonds with average remaining maturities between six months and 21 months as of December 31, 2015, and approximately $2.0 million in mortgage securities, which contributed approximately $6.3 million in cash flows during 2015. The Company's marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale as of December 31, 2015 and are included in the current and non-current marketable securities line items on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015. For additional information regarding the Company's marketable securities, see Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements.

Based on current projections, the Company believes its existing liquid assets, as described above, and the ongoing cash flows from its mortgage securities portfolio will be sufficient to sustain the Company for a period of at least twelve months and enable the Company to effectively implement its strategy of seeking to acquire operating businesses or making other investments that generate taxable income. While the Company acknowledges that cash flows from its mortgage securities portfolio can be volatile in nature, the recent performance of these securities would suggest that these securities will continue to be a source of cash flows for the near future.

The Company's ongoing contractual obligations subsequent to the sale of Corvisa consist primarily of its Senior Notes, which are detailed further in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements, and certain operating lease agreements, which are detailed in Note 7.

Financial Statement Presentation. The Company’s 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 consolidated financial statements and footnotes reflect the best estimates and judgments of management at the time, actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

The 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.