Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
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 September 30, 2014, the effective tax rate was 20.3%. 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 $70.5 million and $56.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and income from foreign operations of $41.9 million and $54.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. As of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had $35.8 million and $43.9 million, respectively, in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions. The decrease in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions resulted from j2 Global effectively settling its California Franchise Tax Board ("FTB") 2004 through 2008 income tax audits, as well as transfer pricing changes made for 2013 and 2014. 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 $23.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014. Certain taxes are prepaid during the year and included within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company’s prepaid taxes were $9.8 million and $11.3 million at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. Income Tax Audits: The Company is under income tax audit by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") for tax years 2009 and 2011. The Company has appealed the IRS tax examiner's decision regarding transfer pricing for tax years 2009 and 2010 to the IRS appeals office, and that process remains on-going. j2 Global is currently under income tax audit by the FTB for tax years 2009 through 2011, by the Illinois Department of Revenue for tax years 2008 and 2009, by the New York City Department of Finance for tax years 2009 through 2011 and by the Canada Revenue Agency for tax years 2010 through 2011. It is reasonably possible that these audits may conclude in the next 12 months and that the uncertain tax positions the Company has recorded in relation to these tax years may change compared to the liabilities recorded for these periods. If the recorded uncertain tax positions are inadequate to cover the associated tax liabilities, the Company would be required to record additional tax expense in the relevant period, which could be material. If the recorded uncertain tax positions are adequate to cover the associated tax liabilities, the Company would be required to record any excess as reduction in tax expense in the relevant period, which could be material. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the amount, if any, of such change.

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 September 30, 2014, the effective tax rate was 20.3%. 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 $70.5 million and $56.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and income from foreign operations of $41.9 million and $54.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

As of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had $35.8 million and $43.9 million, respectively, in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions. The decrease in liabilities for uncertain income tax positions resulted from j2 Global effectively settling its California Franchise Tax Board ("FTB") 2004 through 2008 income tax audits, as well as transfer pricing changes made for 2013 and 2014. 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 $23.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014.

Certain taxes are prepaid during the year and included within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company’s prepaid taxes were $9.8 million and $11.3 million at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

Income Tax Audits:

The Company is under income tax audit by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") for tax years 2009 and 2011. The Company has appealed the IRS tax examiner's decision regarding transfer pricing for tax years 2009 and 2010 to the IRS appeals office, and that process remains on-going.

j2 Global is currently under income tax audit by the FTB for tax years 2009 through 2011, by the Illinois Department of Revenue for tax years 2008 and 2009, by the New York City Department of Finance for tax years 2009 through 2011 and by the Canada Revenue Agency for tax years 2010 through 2011.

It is reasonably possible that these audits may conclude in the next 12 months and that the uncertain tax positions the Company has recorded in relation to these tax years may change compared to the liabilities recorded for these periods. If the recorded uncertain tax positions are inadequate to cover the associated tax liabilities, the Company would be required to record additional tax expense in the relevant period, which could be material. If the recorded uncertain tax positions are adequate to cover the associated tax liabilities, the Company would be required to record any excess as reduction in tax expense in the relevant period, which could be material. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the amount, if any, of such change.