Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	1.Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. and subsidiaries (hereinafter referred to as the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us”) derive revenues from investment management and advisory services, investment product underwriting and distribution, and/or shareholder services administration provided to the Waddell & Reed Advisors group of mutual funds (the “Advisors Funds”), Ivy Funds (the “Ivy Funds”), Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios (the “Ivy Funds VIP”) and InvestEd Portfolios (“InvestEd”) (collectively, the Advisors Funds, Ivy Funds, Ivy Funds VIP and InvestEd are referred to as the “Funds”), the Selector Management Fund SICAV and its Ivy Global Investors sub-funds (the “Selector Management Funds”) and institutional and separately managed accounts. The Funds and the institutional and separately managed accounts operate under various rules and regulations set forth by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Selector Management Funds are regulated by Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier as an undertaking for collective investment in transferable securities (“UCITS”). Services to the Funds and the Selector Management Funds are provided under investment management agreements, underwriting agreements and shareholder servicing and accounting service agreements that set forth the fees to be charged for these services. The majority of these agreements are subject to annual review and approval by each Fund’s board of trustees. Our revenues are largely dependent on the total value and composition of assets under management. Accordingly, fluctuations in financial markets and composition of assets under management can significantly impact our revenues and results of operations. Basis of Presentation We have prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although we believe that the disclosures are adequate to enable a reasonable understanding of the information presented. The information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with Part I, Item 2 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (the “2014 Form 10-K”). The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are prepared consistent with the accounting policies described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in our 2014 Form 10-K, which include the following: use of estimates, cash and cash equivalents, disclosures about fair value of financial instruments, investment securities and investments in affiliated funds (mutual funds and UCITS sub-funds), property and equipment, software developed for internal use, goodwill and identifiable intangible assets, deferred sales commissions, revenue recognition, advertising and promotion, leases, share-based compensation and accounting for income taxes. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of only a normal and recurring nature) necessary to present fairly our financial position at March 31, 2015, the results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

1.Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. and subsidiaries (hereinafter referred to as the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us”) derive revenues from investment management and advisory services, investment product underwriting and distribution, and/or shareholder services administration provided to the Waddell & Reed Advisors group of mutual funds (the “Advisors Funds”), Ivy Funds (the “Ivy Funds”), Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios (the “Ivy Funds VIP”) and InvestEd Portfolios (“InvestEd”) (collectively, the Advisors Funds, Ivy Funds, Ivy Funds VIP and InvestEd are referred to as the “Funds”), the Selector Management Fund SICAV and its Ivy Global Investors sub-funds (the “Selector Management Funds”) and institutional and separately managed accounts. The Funds and the institutional and separately managed accounts operate under various rules and regulations set forth by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Selector Management Funds are regulated by Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier as an undertaking for collective investment in transferable securities (“UCITS”). Services to the Funds and the Selector Management Funds are provided under investment management agreements, underwriting agreements and shareholder servicing and accounting service agreements that set forth the fees to be charged for these services. The majority of these agreements are subject to annual review and approval by each Fund’s board of trustees. Our revenues are largely dependent on the total value and composition of assets under management. Accordingly, fluctuations in financial markets and composition of assets under management can significantly impact our revenues and results of operations.

Basis of Presentation

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although we believe that the disclosures are adequate to enable a reasonable understanding of the information presented. The information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with Part I, Item 2 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (the “2014 Form 10-K”).

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are prepared consistent with the accounting policies described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in our 2014 Form 10-K, which include the following: use of estimates, cash and cash equivalents, disclosures about fair value of financial instruments, investment securities and investments in affiliated funds (mutual funds and UCITS sub-funds), property and equipment, software developed for internal use, goodwill and identifiable intangible assets, deferred sales commissions, revenue recognition, advertising and promotion, leases, share-based compensation and accounting for income taxes.

In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of only a normal and recurring nature) necessary to present fairly our financial position at March 31, 2015, the results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.