Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of revision of prior period gross revenues and costs of consolidated real estate investments

The cumulative impact of the revisions and application of the new ASU are presented in the table below:

	December 31, 2014
	As Previously Reported		Revision			ASU Adoption			As Revised
Deferred income taxes	$	29,192	$	(29,192	)	$	—		$	—
Total current assets	857,846		(29,192		)	—			828,654
Deferred income taxes	51,129		(51,129		)	—			—
Total assets	$	1,573,392	$	(80,321	)	$	—		$	1,493,071
Deferred income taxes, net	$	57,671	$	(29,192	)	$	(28,479	)	$	—
Total current liabilities	270,095		(29,192		)	(28,479		)	212,424
Deferred income taxes, net	145,639		(51,129		)	28,479			122,989
Total liabilities	1,551,340		(80,321		)	—			1,471,019
Total stockholders' equity	22,052					—			22,052
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	1,573,392	$	(80,321	)	$	—		$	1,493,071

Adoption of Equity Method. The Company adopted the equity method of accounting for its investments in Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (“LTS”) and Castle Brands Inc. (“Castle”) in 2015 because the Company determined that it had significant influence due to the evolution of the relationships with each company. In accordance with ASC 323-35-33, the Company has adjusted its consolidated financial statements, retroactively, on a step-by-step basis as if the equity method had been in effect since inception.

The cumulative impact of the revisions and application of the equity method of accounting for the two investments are presented in the tables below:

	December 31, 2014
	As Previously Reported			(1)	Revision			As Revised
Investment securities available for sale	$	346,043			$	(76,943	)	$	269,100
Other current assets	36,718				(314		)	36,404
Total current assets	828,654				(77,257		)	751,397
Long-term investments	40,292				12,431			52,723
Other assets	58,893				(4,991		)	53,902
Total assets	$	1,493,071			$	(69,817	)	$	1,423,254
Deferred income taxes, net	$	122,989			$	(27,085	)	$	95,904
Total liabilities	1,471,019				(27,085		)	1,443,934
Accumulated deficit	(90,160		)		(6,849		)	(97,009		)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	34,540				(35,883		)	(1,343		)
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(57,027		)		(42,732		)	(99,759		)
Total stockholders' equity (deficiency)	22,052				(42,732		)	(20,680		)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficiency)	$	1,493,071			$	(69,817	)	$	1,423,254

(1) The amounts shown in the “As Previously Reported” column reflect the impact of the deferred tax adjustments presented in the preceding table.

	Year ended								Year ended
	December 31, 2014								December 31, 2013
	As Previously Reported		Revision			As Revised			As Previously Reported		Revision			As Revised
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	$	278,392	$	950		$	279,342		$	112,748	$	850		$	113,598
Operating income	213,388		(950		)	212,438			112,036		(850		)	111,186
Equity in earnings from investments	1,242		1,898			3,140			2,066		1,060			3,126
Other, net	10,552		(1,156		)	9,396			7,550		(2,977		)	4,573
Income before provision for income taxes	82,487		(208		)	82,279			63,487		(2,767		)	60,720
Income tax expense	33,251		(86		)	33,165			24,795		(1,123		)	23,672
Net income	49,236		(122		)	49,114			38,692		(1,644		)	37,048
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	36,978		(122		)	36,856			38,944		(1,644		)	37,300
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	11,680		(13,614		)	(1,934		)	33,128		(17,534		)	15,594
Comprehensive income	60,916		(13,736		)	47,180			71,820		(19,178		)	52,642
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$	48,658	$	(13,736	)	$	34,922		$	72,072	$	(19,178	)	$	52,894

Schedule of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes

The components of accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income taxes, were as follows:

	December 31, 2015			December 31, 2014			December 31, 2013
Net unrealized gains on investment securities available for sale, net of income taxes of $7,758, $12,706 and $11,528, respectively	$	12,048		$	18,102		$	16,867
Net unrealized losses on long-term investment accounted for under the equity method, net of income tax benefits of $0, $1,156, and $418, respectively	—			(1,658		)	(612		)
Forward contracts adjustment, net of income taxes of $11, $36, and $63, respectively	(19		)	(55		)	(92		)
Pension-related amounts, net of income taxes of $13,977, $12,167, and $10,644, respectively	(20,342		)	(17,732		)	(15,572		)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	$	(8,313	)	$	(1,343	)	$	591

Schedule of other Income, net

Other income, net consists of:

	Year Ended
	December 31,
	2015			2014		2013
Interest and dividend income	$	7,038		$	5,803	$	4,381
Out-of-period adjustment	—			1,231		—
Acceleration of closing fee related to termination of Douglas Elliman joint venture	—			2,335		—
Impairment of real estate held for sale	(230		)	—		—
Loss on sale of assets	(78		)	—		—
Gain on long-term investment	390			—		189
Impairment of long-term investments	(811		)	—		—
Other income	100			27		3
Other income, net	$	6,409		$	9,396	$	4,573

Schedule of other current liabilities

Other current liabilities consists of:

	December 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
Accounts payable	$	19,639	$	10,856
Accrued promotional expenses	24,816		20,191
Accrued excise and payroll taxes payable, net	26,556		23,172
Accrued interest	28,147		28,321
Commissions payable	11,008		9,523
Accrued salaries and benefits	20,134		16,009
Other current liabilities	23,917		18,683
Total other current liabilities	$	154,217	$	126,755