Stockholders' Equity - Earnings per share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 20, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Components of basic and diluted earnings per share
Net income attributable to Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc.		$ 53,827	$ 48,058	$ 124,490	$ 182,616
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic and diluted		82,834,000	83,469,000	82,629,000	83,709,000
Earnings per share:
Earnings per share, basic and diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.65	$ 0.58	$ 1.51	$ 2.18
Dividends
Dividends accrued, per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.46			$ 1.38
Dividends to be paid		$ 38,100		$ 38,100
Common stock repurchases
Shares repurchased in the open market or privately		28,537	812,764	2,230,034	1,435,355
Shares repurchased from employees to cover minimum income tax withholdings		28,537	108	333,034	312,199