UNAUDITED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (Significant Events by Quarter) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Mar. 17, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Loss on extinguishment of debt								$ 2,200,000										$ (2,190,000)	$ 0	$ 0
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net of tax								1,700,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net of tax (in dollars per share)								$ 0.09
Restructuring expenses																		365,000	0	0
Provision for credit losses																		17,246,000	10,661,000	5,209,000
Impairment charges		2,200,000																2,280,000	0	2,828,000
Impairment charges, net of tax		812,000
Impairment charges, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ 0.04
Net gain on sale of management contracts																5,100,000			5,100,000
Net gain on sale of management contracts, net of tax																3,200,000
Net gain on sale of management contracts, net of tax (in dollars per share)																$ 0.17
Loss from discontinued operations														3,400,000				90,000	3,387,000	(622,000)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,200,000)	8,000	[1]	14,000	[1]	16,000	[1]	20,000	[1]	26,000	[2]	23,000	[2]	2,153,000	[2]	0	[2]	58,000	2,202,000	(622,000)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]					$ 0.11				$ 0.00	$ 0.11	$ (0.03)
Equity gain based on interest in an office building																		972,000	(1,198,000)	(451,000)
Commercial Finance Investment Entities [Member]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Provision for credit losses		6,300,000		5,700,000
Provision for credit losses, net of tax		2,300,000		3,500,000
Provision for credit losses, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ 0.11		$ 0.17
Real Estate Investment [Member] | Washington, DC Building [Member]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Equity gain based on interest in an office building										800,000		7,600,000
Equity gain based on interest in an office building, net of tax										361,000		3,300,000
Equity gain based on interest in an office building, net of tax (in dollar per share)										$ 0.02		$ 0.17
Employee Severance [Member]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Restructuring expenses						365,000
Restructuring expenses, net of tax						233,000
Restructuring expenses, per share, net of tax						$ 0.01
LEAF [Member]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Gain on deconsolidation								8,700,000
Gain on deconsolidation, net of tax								6,900,000
Gain on deconsolidation, net of tax (in dollars per share)								$ 0.35
Apidos [Member]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Gain on sale of business				54,700,000
Gain on sale of business, net of tax				$ 33,800,000
Gain on sale of business, net of tax (in dollars per share)				$ 1.61

[1] Fiscal 2012 – significant events by quarter:•December 31 – included a $8.7 million ($6.9 million net of tax) gain on the deconsolidation of LEAF ($0.35 per share-diluted) and a $2.2 million ($1.7 million net of tax, or $0.09 per share-diluted) loss on the extinguishment of debt in conjunction with the modification and partial redemption of the Company's Senior Notes in November 2011.•March 31 – included a restructuring charge of $365,000 ($233,000 net of tax, or $0.01 per share-diluted) which consisted of severance and benefits for terminated employees; the decrease in staffing levels reflected the Company's decreased overhead requirements as a result of the sale of Apidos and the recapitalization of LEAF.•June 30 – included a $54.7 million ($33.8 million net of tax, or $1.61 per share-diluted) gain on the sale of Apidos, offset, in part, by a $5.7 million ($3.5 million net of tax, or $0.17 per share diluted) provision for credit losses related to management fees owed from three of the commercial finance investment entities that, based on a change in estimated cash flows, were not expected to be collectible. •September 30 – included an additional $6.3 million ($2.3 million net of tax, or $0.11 per share-diluted) provision for credit losses related to management fees owed from three of the commercial finance investment entities and a $2.2 million ($812,000 net of tax, or $0.04 per share diluted) impairment charge on a legacy real estate investment.

[2] Fiscal 2011 – significant events by quarter:•December 31 – included a net gain of $5.1 million ($3.2 million net of tax, or $0.17 per share-diluted) on the sale of the Company’s management contract and equity investment in REM I.•March 31 – included a $3.4 million ($2.2 million net of tax, or $0.11 per share-diluted) loss from discontinued operations in connection with the March 2006 sale of a real estate loan in which the Company agreed to make payments under certain circumstances to the owner. In March 2011, a triggering event occurred.•June 30 – included a $7.6 million ($3.3 million net of tax, or $0.17 per share-diluted) equity gain based on the Company’s interest in an office building that was sold in Washington, DC.•September 30 – the gain related to the third quarter sale of the Washington, DC building increased by $800,000 ($361,000 net of tax, or $0.02 per share-diluted) based on the release of funds from escrow.