FINANCING RECEIVABLES (Details) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	$ 3,067,000		$ 4,704,000
Greater Than 90 days	3,445,000		2,141,000
Greater Than 181 Days	53,647,000		54,980,000
Total Past Due	60,159,000		61,825,000
Current	8,042,000		195,937,000
Total	68,201,000		257,762,000
Commercial finance investment entities [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	0	[1]	0	[2]
Greater Than 90 days	0	[1]	0	[2]
Greater Than 181 Days	38,493,000	[1]	37,547,000	[2]
Total Past Due	38,493,000	[1]	37,547,000	[2]
Current	182,000	[1]	490,000	[2]
Total	38,675,000	[1]	38,037,000	[2]
Allowance for credit losses	18,800,000		8,300,000
Real estate investment entities [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	981,000	[1]	1,324,000	[2]
Greater Than 90 days	2,753,000	[1]	1,511,000	[2]
Greater Than 181 Days	15,087,000	[1]	17,405,000	[2]
Total Past Due	18,821,000	[1]	20,240,000	[2]
Current	2,004,000	[1]	1,734,000	[2]
Total	20,825,000	[1]	21,974,000	[2]
Allowance for credit losses	2,400,000		2,200,000
Financial fund management investment entities [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	1,278,000	[1]	2,395,000	[2]
Greater Than 90 days	686,000	[1]	93,000	[2]
Greater Than 181 Days	48,000	[1]	28,000	[2]
Total Past Due	2,012,000	[1]	2,516,000	[2]
Current	1,538,000	[1]	136,000	[2]
Total	3,550,000	[1]	2,652,000	[2]
RSO [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	802,000	[1]	0	[2]
Greater Than 90 days	0	[1]	0	[2]
Greater Than 181 Days	0	[1]	0	[2]
Total Past Due	802,000	[1]	0	[2]
Current	4,105,000	[1]	2,539,000	[2]
Total	4,907,000	[1]	2,539,000	[2]
Other [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	0	[1]	0	[2]
Greater Than 90 days	0	[1]	0	[2]
Greater Than 181 Days	0	[1]	0	[2]
Total Past Due	0	[1]	0	[2]
Current	209,000	[1]	103,000	[2]
Total	209,000	[1]	103,000	[2]
Investments in commercial finance [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due			984,000
Greater Than 90 days			526,000
Greater Than 181 Days			0
Total Past Due			1,510,000
Current			190,932,000
Total			192,442,000
Receivables from managed entities and related parties [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	3,061,000	[1]	3,719,000	[2]
Greater Than 90 days	3,439,000	[1]	1,604,000	[2]
Greater Than 181 Days	53,628,000	[1]	54,980,000	[2]
Total Past Due	60,128,000	[1]	60,303,000	[2]
Current	8,038,000	[1]	5,002,000	[2]
Total	68,166,000	[1]	65,305,000	[2]
Rent receivables - real estate [Member]
Aging of the Company's past due financing receivables, gross of allowances for credit losses
30-89 Days Past Due	6,000		1,000
Greater Than 90 days	6,000		11,000
Greater Than 181 Days	19,000		0
Total Past Due	31,000		12,000
Current	4,000		3,000
Total	$ 35,000		$ 15,000

[1] As of June 30, 2012, receivables related to the Company's commercial finance and real estate investment entities were presented gross of allowances for credit losses of $18.8 million and $2.4 million, respectively. The remaining receivables from managed entities and related parties have no related allowance for credit losses.

[2] As of September 30, 2011, receivables related to the Company's commercial finance and real estate investment entities were presented gross of an allowance for credit losses of $8.3 million and $2.2 million, respectively. The remaining receivables from managed entities and related parties have no related allowance for credit losses.