Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)					6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Variable interests in unconsolidated VIEs	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnership VIEs entity	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnership VIEs Minimum investor	Jun. 30, 2012 Operating Entity VIEs	Jun. 30, 2012 Special-Purpose Investment Entity VIEs	Dec. 31, 2011 Special-Purpose Investment Entity VIEs
Variable interest entities
Number of investors in VIEs					1
Number of VIEs in which entity and respective non-affiliated investors each hold equal ownership and voting interests				4
Maximum recourse available to third-party creditors under various limited guaranty provisions related to certain debt obligations of the VIEs							$ 78,100,000
Carrying amount and classification of assets and liabilities of VIEs included in consolidated balance sheet
Cash							18,536,000
Portfolio Assets, net	82,673,000	123,946,000					68,884,000	98,400,000
Loans receivable			7,765,000			7,765,000	39,336,000
Equity investments	103,864,000	109,393,000	(902,000)	(811,000)		(91,000)	41,465,000	51,700,000
Other assets	27,502,000	25,593,000					37,745,000	35,900,000
Total assets of consolidated VIEs (1)							205,966,000
Notes payable (2)							133,221,000
Other liabilities (2)	22,306,000	23,690,000					17,397,000
Total liabilities of consolidated VIEs							150,618,000
Notes payable for which creditors do not have recourse	139,873,000	189,936,000					43,900,000	70,200,000
Other liabilities (2)							17,300,000	19,000,000
FirstCity's Maximum Exposure to Loss (1)			$ 8,692,000	$ 1,018,000		$ 7,674,000