Debt instrument additional carrying amount.

No definition available.

Name:	sf_DebtInstrumentAdditionalCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	sf_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of stock purchase agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sf_NumberOfStockPurchaseAgreements
Namespace Prefix:	sf_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of types of subsequent events.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sf_NumberOfTypesOfSubsequentEvents
Namespace Prefix:	sf_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the payment terms of the debt instrument (for example, whether periodic payments include principal and frequency of payments) and discussion about any contingencies associated with the payment.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPaymentTerms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage rate used to calculate dividend payments on preferred stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Yield on the receivable, on which interest has been imputed, as calculated from its issuance value or purchase price. The calculated effective interest rate considers factors such as the issued face value or price paid for the receivable, the time period between payments, and the time until maturity [full receipt] of the receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity impact of the value of new stock issued during the period. Includes shares issued in an initial public offering or a secondary public offering.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=sf_SterneAgeeLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_NoncumulativePreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=sf_TwoThousandFifteenNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Subsequent Events (Details) $ in Millions			6 Months Ended
Subsequent Events (Details) $ in Millions	Jul. 11, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2016 USD ($) Business	Jun. 30, 2016 item
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of types of subsequent events \| item			2
Maturity date			Dec. 31, 2024
Stated interest rate			5.375%
Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of stock purchase agreements \| Business		2
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Sterne Agee, LLC [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business		$ 50.0
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Preferred stock underwritten registered public offering	$ 150.0
Preferred stock, dividend rate percentage	6.25%
2015 Notes [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt instrument additional carrying amount	$ 200.0
Maturity date	Jul. 31, 2024
Stated interest rate	4.25%
Debt Instrument, Payment Terms	payable semi-annually in arrears on January 18 and July 18
Notes issued, effective yield	4.034%