Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes The Company’s tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of the Company’s annual effective tax rate. Each quarter the Company updates its estimated annual effective tax rate and, if the estimate changes, makes a cumulative adjustment. j2 Global’s annual effective tax rate is normally lower than the 35% U.S. federal statutory rate and applicable apportioned state tax rates primarily due to anticipated earnings of the Company’s subsidiaries outside of the U.S. in jurisdictions where the Company’s effective tax rate is lower than in the U.S. For the quarter ended March 31, 2013, the effective tax rate was 19.5%. j2 Global does not provide for U.S. income taxes on the undistributed earnings of the Company’s foreign operations because the Company intends to reinvest such earnings in foreign jurisdictions. Income before income taxes included income from domestic operations of $5.4 million and $13.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and income from foreign operations of $22.9 million and $23.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company had $39.0 million and $37.7 million, respectively, in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in income tax expense on the Company’s consolidated statement of income. Cash paid for income taxes net of refunds received was $3.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. Certain tax payments are prepaid during the year and included within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company’s prepaid tax payments were $7.4 million and $9.0 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. j2 Global is currently under audit by the California Franchise Tax Board (“FTB”) for tax years 2005 through 2007. The FTB has also issued Information Document Requests regarding the 2008 tax year, although no formal notice of audit for 2008 has been provided. The Company is also under income tax audits by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2009 and 2010 and by the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) for tax years 2008 through 2010. In addition, the Company is under audit by the CRA for Goods and Services Tax for tax years 2009 through 2011. It is possible that some or all of these audits may conclude in the next 12 months and that the unrecognized tax benefits the Company has recorded in relation to these tax years may change compared to the liabilities recorded for these periods. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the amount, if any, of such change. j2 Global is also under audit by various state and local governments for non-income related taxes.

Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

The Company’s tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of the Company’s annual effective tax rate. Each quarter the Company updates its estimated annual effective tax rate and, if the estimate changes, makes a cumulative adjustment. j2 Global’s annual effective tax rate is normally lower than the 35% U.S. federal statutory rate and applicable apportioned state tax rates primarily due to anticipated earnings of the Company’s subsidiaries outside of the U.S. in jurisdictions where the Company’s effective tax rate is lower than in the U.S. For the quarter ended March 31, 2013, the effective tax rate was 19.5%. j2 Global does not provide for U.S. income taxes on the undistributed earnings of the Company’s foreign operations because the Company intends to reinvest such earnings in foreign jurisdictions. Income before income taxes included income from domestic operations of $5.4 million and $13.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and income from foreign operations of $22.9 million and $23.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company had $39.0 million and $37.7 million, respectively, in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in income tax expense on the Company’s consolidated statement of income.

Cash paid for income taxes net of refunds received was $3.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

Certain tax payments are prepaid during the year and included within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company’s prepaid tax payments were $7.4 million and $9.0 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

j2 Global is currently under audit by the California Franchise Tax Board (“FTB”) for tax years 2005 through 2007. The FTB has also issued Information Document Requests regarding the 2008 tax year, although no formal notice of audit for 2008 has been provided. The Company is also under income tax audits by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2009 and 2010 and by the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) for tax years 2008 through 2010. In addition, the Company is under audit by the CRA for Goods and Services Tax for tax years 2009 through 2011. It is possible that some or all of these audits may conclude in the next 12 months and that the unrecognized tax benefits the Company has recorded in relation to these tax years may change compared to the liabilities recorded for these periods. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the amount, if any, of such change.

j2 Global is also under audit by various state and local governments for non-income related taxes.