Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 30,460	$ 28,002
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Depreciation and amortization	4,004	2,660
Impairment charge for goodwill and identifiable intangible assets		10,400
Amortization of loan costs and premium on receivables secured by tax liens	3,550	1,210
Stock-based compensation expense	5,180	4,805
Recognized loss on termination of derivative contract	3,630
Deferred income taxes	(3,297)	89
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements	(3,848)	(1,689)
Loss on sale of discontinued operations		2,416
Reversal for allowances on receivable portfolios, net	(4,680)	(789)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisition
Other assets	(8,502)	298
Deferred court costs	1,492	(1,664)
Prepaid income tax and income taxes payable	(19,559)	(6,455)
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities	2,821	5,322
Net cash provided by operating activities	11,251	44,605
Investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired	(293,329)	(185,990)
Purchases of receivable portfolios	(100,650)	(361,446)
Collections applied to investment in receivable portfolios	260,531	207,205
Proceeds from put-backs of receivable portfolios	2,454	1,625
Originations and purchases of receivables secured by tax liens	(87,961)	(14,072)
Collections applied to receivables secured by tax liens	27,097	7,467
Payment on termination of derivative contract	(3,630)
Purchases of property and equipment	(5,335)	(2,595)
Purchases of intangible assets	(1,900)
Net cash used in investing activities	(202,723)	(347,806)
Financing activities:
Payment of loan costs	(11,846)	(1,619)
Repayment of senior secured notes	(6,250)
Proceeds from credit facilities	514,065	383,399
Repayment of credit facilities	(228,175)	(70,500)
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior notes	150,000
Payment of convertible hedge transactions	(15,750)
Repurchase of common stock	(729)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	2,359	2,583
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards	(8,420)	(2,177)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements	3,848	1,689
Repayment of capital lease obligations	(2,969)	(3,207)
Net cash provided by financing activities	396,133	310,168
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	204,661	6,967
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	17,510	8,047
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	222,171	15,014
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	12,537	11,075
Cash paid for income taxes	40,513	23,108
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Fixed assets acquired through capital lease	$ 1,189	$ 2,779