Goodwill and Identifiable Intangible Assets - Schedule of Reportable Segments by Reporting Units (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Aug. 06, 2014
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 897,933us-gaap_Goodwill
Goodwill adjustment (1)	2,410
Effect of foreign currency translation	(34,642)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
Balance at end of period	865,701us-gaap_Goodwill
Atlantic Credit and Finance, Inc. [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period		79,948
Balance at end of period		79,948
Portfolio Purchasing and Recovery [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	848,656
Goodwill adjustment (1)	2,410
Effect of foreign currency translation	(34,642)
Balance at end of period	816,424
Portfolio Purchasing and Recovery [Member] \| Atlantic Credit and Finance, Inc. [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill adjustment (1)	2,400
Tax Lien Transfer [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	49,277
Goodwill adjustment (1)	0
Effect of foreign currency translation	0
Balance at end of period	$ 49,277

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) from adjustments after acquisition date under purchase accounting of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 16

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34752592&loc=d3e961-128460

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Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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