Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) - Not designated as a hedge - Total return swap contracts $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) contract	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) contract
Derivative Financial Instruments
Number of contracts \| contract	5	6
Notional value	$ 194,400	$ 213,900
Cash collateral with the counterparties	5,200	9,700
Level 2
Derivative Financial Instruments
Fair value - assets	4,968
Fair value - liabilities		1,093
Level 2 \| Investment and other income (loss)
Derivative Financial Instruments
Net gains (losses) recognized in income	15,163	(36,368)
Level 2 \| Prepaid expenses and other current assets (liabilities)
Derivative Financial Instruments
Fair value - assets	$ 4,968
Level 2 \| Other current liabilities
Derivative Financial Instruments
Fair value - liabilities		$ 1,093

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of right to receive cash collateral under master netting arrangements that have not been offset against derivative liabilities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 13
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226016-175313

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=d3e41678-113959

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimCash
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsAndHedgingActivitiesDisclosuresLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of derivative instrument not designated as hedging instrument and classified as an asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsAssetAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4CC
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL109998890-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of derivative instrument not designated as hedging instrument and classified as a liability.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsLiabilityAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of derivative instruments of a particular group held by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5579245-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5580258-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_TotalReturnSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=wdr_InvestmentAndOtherIncomeLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: