Employee Incentive, Deferred Compensation, And Retirement Plans	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Share Based Compensation Allocation And Classification In Financial Statements [Abstract]
Employee Incentive, Deferred Compensation, And Retirement Plans	NOTE 18 – Employee Incentive, Deferred Compensation, and Retirement Plans We maintain several incentive stock award plans that provide for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, performance award, stock units and debentures to our employees. We are permitted to issue new shares under all stock award plans approved by shareholders or to reissue our treasury shares. Awards under our company’s incentive stock award plans are granted at market value at the date of grant. The awards generally vest ratably over a one- to eight-year vesting period. All stock-based compensation plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (“Compensation Committee”), which has the authority to interpret the plans, determine to whom awards may be granted under the plans, and determine the terms of each award. According to these plans, we are authorized to grant an additional 6.2 million shares at March 31, 2017. Stock-based compensation expense included in compensation and benefits expense in the consolidated statements of operations for our company’s incentive stock award plans was $31.2 million and $28.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. As a result of the adoption of a new accounting standard on January 1, 2017, we recognized an excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation of $16.9 million in the provision for income taxes on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017. We adopted the new guidance prospectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, the tax deficit related to stock-based compensation of $4.2 million was recognized in additional paid-in-capital on the accompanying consolidated statement of financial condition. Stock Units A stock unit represents the right to receive a share of common stock from our company at a designated time in the future without cash payment by the employee and is issued in lieu of cash incentive, principally for deferred compensation and employee retention plans. The restricted stock units vest on an annual basis over the next one to eight years and are distributable, if vested, at future specified dates. Our Company grants Performance-based Restricted Stock Units (“PRSUs”) to its executive officers. Under the terms of the grants, the number of PRSUs that will vest and convert to shares will be based on our Company's achievement of the pre-determined performance objectives during the performance period. The PRSUs will be measured over a four-year performance period and vested over a five-year period. The number of shares converted has the potential to range from 0% to 200% based on how our Company performs during the performance period. Compensation expense is amortized on a straight-line basis over the service period based on the fair value of the award on the grant date. The Company’s pre-determined performance objectives must be met for the awards to vest. Employees forfeit unvested share units upon termination of employment with a corresponding reversal of compensation expense. At March 31, 2017, the total number of stock units outstanding was 19.5 million, of which 16.1 million were unvested. At March 31, 2017, the total number of PRSUs was 0.6 million, of which all were unvested. At March 31, 2017, there was unrecognized compensation cost for stock units of approximately $386.5 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.1 years. Deferred Compensation Plans The Wealth Accumulation Plan (the “Plan”) is provided to certain revenue producers, officers, and key administrative employees, whereby a certain percentage of their incentive compensation is deferred as defined by the Plan into company stock units and debentures. Participants may elect to defer a portion of their incentive compensation. Deferred awards generally vest over a one- to eight-year period and are distributable upon vesting or at future specified dates. Deferred compensation costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Elective deferrals are 100% vested. Additionally, the Plan allows Stifel’s financial advisors who achieve certain levels of production to defer a certain percentage of their gross commissions. As stipulated by the Plan, the financial advisors will defer 4% of their gross commissions. They have the option to 1) defer an additional 1% of gross commissions into company stock units with a 25% matching contribution, or 2) defer up to 2% in mutual funds, which earn a return based on the performance of index mutual funds as designated by our company or a fixed income option. The mutual fund deferral option does not include a company match. Financial advisors have no ownership in the mutual funds. Included in the investments in the consolidated statements of financial condition are investments in mutual funds of $12.0 million and $11.3 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, that were purchased by our company to economically hedge, on an after-tax basis, its liability to the financial advisors who choose to base the performance of their return on the index mutual fund option. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the deferred compensation liability related to the mutual fund option of $6.5 million and $8.6 million, respectively, is included in accrued compensation in the consolidated statements of financial condition. In addition, certain financial advisors, upon joining our company, may receive company stock units in lieu of transition cash payments. Deferred compensation related to these awards generally vests over a one- to eight-year period. Deferred compensation costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the deferral period. Employee Profit Sharing Plan Eligible employees of our company who have met certain service requirements may participate in the Stifel Financial Corp. Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). Employees are permitted within limitations imposed by tax law to make pre-tax contributions to the 401(k) Plan. We may match certain employee contributions or make additional contributions to the 401(k) Plan at our discretion. Our contributions to the 401(k) Plan were $0.4 million and $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

NOTE 18 – Employee Incentive, Deferred Compensation, and Retirement Plans

We maintain several incentive stock award plans that provide for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, performance award, stock units and debentures to our employees. We are permitted to issue new shares under all stock award plans approved by shareholders or to reissue our treasury shares. Awards under our company’s incentive stock award plans are granted at market value at the date of grant. The awards generally vest ratably over a one- to eight-year vesting period.

All stock-based compensation plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (“Compensation Committee”), which has the authority to interpret the plans, determine to whom awards may be granted under the plans, and determine the terms of each award. According to these plans, we are authorized to grant an additional 6.2 million shares at March 31, 2017.

Stock-based compensation expense included in compensation and benefits expense in the consolidated statements of operations for our company’s incentive stock award plans was $31.2 million and $28.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. As a result of the adoption of a new accounting standard on January 1, 2017, we recognized an excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation of $16.9 million in the provision for income taxes on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017. We adopted the new guidance prospectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, the tax deficit related to stock-based compensation of $4.2 million was recognized in additional paid-in-capital on the accompanying consolidated statement of financial condition.

Stock Units

A stock unit represents the right to receive a share of common stock from our company at a designated time in the future without cash payment by the employee and is issued in lieu of cash incentive, principally for deferred compensation and employee retention plans. The restricted stock units vest on an annual basis over the next one to eight years and are distributable, if vested, at future specified dates. Our Company grants Performance-based Restricted Stock Units (“PRSUs”) to its executive officers. Under the terms of the grants, the number of PRSUs that will vest and convert to shares will be based on our Company's achievement of the pre-determined performance objectives during the performance period. The PRSUs will be measured over a four-year performance period and vested over a five-year period. The number of shares converted has the potential to range from 0% to 200% based on how our Company performs during the performance period. Compensation expense is amortized on a straight-line basis over the service period based on the fair value of the award on the grant date. The Company’s pre-determined performance objectives must be met for the awards to vest. Employees forfeit unvested share units upon termination of employment with a corresponding reversal of compensation expense. At March 31, 2017, the total number of stock units outstanding was 19.5 million, of which 16.1 million were unvested. At March 31, 2017, the total number of PRSUs was 0.6 million, of which all were unvested.

At March 31, 2017, there was unrecognized compensation cost for stock units of approximately $386.5 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.1 years.

Deferred Compensation Plans

The Wealth Accumulation Plan (the “Plan”) is provided to certain revenue producers, officers, and key administrative employees, whereby a certain percentage of their incentive compensation is deferred as defined by the Plan into company stock units and debentures. Participants may elect to defer a portion of their incentive compensation. Deferred awards generally vest over a one- to eight-year period and are distributable upon vesting or at future specified dates. Deferred compensation costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Elective deferrals are 100% vested.

Additionally, the Plan allows Stifel’s financial advisors who achieve certain levels of production to defer a certain percentage of their gross commissions. As stipulated by the Plan, the financial advisors will defer 4% of their gross commissions. They have the option to 1) defer an additional 1% of gross commissions into company stock units with a 25% matching contribution, or 2) defer up to 2% in mutual funds, which earn a return based on the performance of index mutual funds as designated by our company or a fixed income option. The mutual fund deferral option does not include a company match. Financial advisors have no ownership in the mutual funds. Included in the investments in the consolidated statements of financial condition are investments in mutual funds of $12.0 million and $11.3 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, that were purchased by our company to economically hedge, on an after-tax basis, its liability to the financial advisors who choose to base the performance of their return on the index mutual fund option. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the deferred compensation liability related to the mutual fund option of $6.5 million and $8.6 million, respectively, is included in accrued compensation in the consolidated statements of financial condition.

In addition, certain financial advisors, upon joining our company, may receive company stock units in lieu of transition cash payments. Deferred compensation related to these awards generally vests over a one- to eight-year period. Deferred compensation costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the deferral period.

Employee Profit Sharing Plan

Eligible employees of our company who have met certain service requirements may participate in the Stifel Financial Corp. Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). Employees are permitted within limitations imposed by tax law to make pre-tax contributions to the 401(k) Plan. We may match certain employee contributions or make additional contributions to the 401(k) Plan at our discretion. Our contributions to the 401(k) Plan were $0.4 million and $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.