Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 70,321	$ 51,524
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	19,879	8,527
Other non-cash interest expense	20,989	5,411
Stock-based compensation expense	13,560	9,163
Recognized loss on termination of derivative contract	0	3,630
Deferred income taxes	(11,863)	(217)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements	(11,422)	(5,238)
Reversal of allowances on receivable portfolios, net	(12,455)	(7,658)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Deferred court costs and other assets	(16,498)	1,897
Prepaid income tax and income taxes payable	2,402	(25,785)
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities	23,850	(1,388)
Net cash provided by operating activities	98,763	39,866
Investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(495,519)	(413,055)
Purchases of receivable portfolios, net of put-backs	(666,470)	(156,438)
Collections applied to investment in receivable portfolios, net	488,086	418,024
Originations and purchases of receivables secured by tax liens	(108,739)	(100,278)
Collections applied to receivables secured by tax liens	93,986	51,111
Purchases of property and equipment	(13,598)	(8,178)
Other	(1,987)	(5,580)
Net cash used in investing activities	(704,241)	(214,394)
Financing activities:
Payment of loan costs	(15,271)	(17,152)
Proceeds from credit facilities	993,449	522,065
Repayment of credit facilities	(878,883)	(491,462)
Proceeds from senior secured notes	288,645	151,670
Repayment of senior secured notes	(11,250)	(10,000)
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior notes	161,000	172,500
Proceeds from issuance of securitized notes	134,000	0
Repayment of securitized notes	(20,599)	0
Repayment of preferred equity certificates, net	(702)	(39,743)
Purchases of convertible hedge instruments	(33,576)	(18,113)
Repurchase of common stock	(16,815)	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards	(19,356)	(9,270)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements	11,422	5,238
Other, net	987	(1,073)
Net cash provided by financing activities	593,051	264,660
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(12,427)	90,132
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1,654	2,514
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	126,213	17,510
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	115,440	110,156
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	120,125	48,243
Cash paid for income taxes	54,452	54,499
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Fixed assets acquired through capital lease	$ 6,852	$ 1,189