Face amount or stated value per share of common stock.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period over which grantee's right to exercise award under share-based payment arrangement is no longer contingent on satisfaction of service or performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, combination of market, performance or service condition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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

- Definition

Number of shares authorized for issuance under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of share of par value $0.01 on which lump sum cash payment is received by RSU holders.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wdr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfCommonStockOnWhichLumpSumCashPaymentIsReceived
Namespace Prefix:	wdr_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of shares of common stock on which each RSU holders are entitled to dividend equivalent payments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wdr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesEntitledForDividendEquivalentPayments
Namespace Prefix:	wdr_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=wdr_StockIncentive1998PlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Share-Based Compensation - Narrative (Details) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2018
Share-Based Compensation
Vesting period	4 years
Percentage increments vested on anniversaries of the grant date	25.00%	33.33%
Par value, common stock	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Cash Settled RSU Plan
Share-Based Compensation
Vesting period	4 years
Percentage increments vested on anniversaries of the grant date	25.00%
Number of share of par value $0.01 on which lump sum cash payment is received by RSU holders	1
Par value, common stock	$ 0.01
Number of shares of common stock on which each RSU holders are entitled to dividend equivalent payments	1
1998 Stock Incentive Plan ("SI Plan")
Share-Based Compensation
Maximum number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance	35,600,000
Number of shares of common stock available for issuance	1,448,959