VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Cash Flow Detail (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 990,000	$ 496,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments		214,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(631,000)	(1,261,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations	136,561,000
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	(12,849,000)
Capital expenditures	(42,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(25,013,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	16,209,000
Dividends paid	(980,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity	(56,000)
(Decrease) increase in cash	(2,643,000)	3,473,000
Cash, beginning of year	19,853,000	11,899,000
Cash, end of period	17,210,000	15,372,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash	409,000	441,000
Income taxes paid in cash	176,000	863,000
RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	17,460,000	12,628,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Provision for loan losses	(3,960,000)	1,042,000
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other	392,000	666,000
Amortization of intangible assets	444,000	532,000
Amortization of term facilities	534,000	221,000
Accretion of net discounts on loans held for investment	(574,000)	(4,079,000)
Accretion of net discounts on securities available-for-sale	(769,000)	(731,000)
Amortization of Debt Discount (Premium)	422,000	0
Amortization of discount on notes of securitizations	12,000	876,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs on notes of securitizations	796,000	1,176,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation	1,667,000	3,591,000
Amortization of terminated derivative instruments	70,000	55,000
Accretion of interest-only available-for-sales securities	(137,000)	(247,000)
Deferred income tax benefits	(89,000)	(115,000)
Mortgage loans held for sale, net	(877,000)	0
Purchase of securities, trading	0	(10,044,000)
Principal payments on securities, trading	42,000	21,000
Proceeds from sales of securities, trading	0	3,089,000
Net realized and unrealized loss (gain) on investment securities, trading	1,560,000	(1,116,000)
Net realized gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans	(3,680,000)	(391,000)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	69,000	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	0	12,000
Linked Transactions fair value adjustments	(1,763,000)	592,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(2,014,000)	425,000
Change in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions	9,563,000	15,096,000
Subtotal - consolidated VIE - RSO operating activity	1,708,000	10,671,000
Change in consolidated VIE - RSO cash for the period	95,584,000	17,617,000
Change in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE - RSO	97,264,000	27,634,000
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities (excluding eliminations)	19,168,000	23,298,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans	(169,380,000)	(146,699,000)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale	(48,321,000)	(63,292,000)
Principal payments received on loans	90,948,000	209,107,000
Proceeds from sale of loans	15,974,000	58,148,000
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale	17,325,000	7,944,000
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale	12,314,000	0
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	(12,849,000)	(19,241,000)
Proceeds from (investment in) unconsolidated entity	5,650,000	(4,431,000)
Acquisition of Moselle CLO S.A.	(30,433,000)	0
Distributions from investments in real estate	0	253,000
Improvements in investments in real estate	0	(321,000)
Investment in loans - related parties	(285,000)	0
Principal payments received on loans – related parties	753,000	464,000
Purchase of furniture and fixtures	(38,000)	0
Capital expenditures	(269,000)	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(25,013,000)	(4,035,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (excluding eliminations)	(118,611,000)	41,932,000
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements	75,589,000	37,145,000
Warehouse agreements	34,007,000	0
Payments on borrowings:
Collateralized debt obligations	(59,668,000)	(141,341,000)
Warehouse agreements	33,719,000	0
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	16,209,000	(104,196,000)
Dividends paid	(24,964,000)	(20,422,000)
Net proceeds from dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (net of offering costs of $0 and $19)	245,000	17,995,000
Subtotal - net proceeds from issuance of stock by consolidated VIE	15,660,000	44,862,000
Payment of debt issuance costs	(8,000)	(140,000)
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders	(307,000)	(1,461,000)
Distributions paid on preferred stock	(2,159,000)	(934,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity	(2,474,000)	(2,535,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (excluding eliminations)	3,859,000	(82,847,000)
(Decrease) increase in cash	(95,584,000)	(17,617,000)
Cash, beginning of year	262,270,000	85,278,000
Cash, end of period	166,686,000	67,661,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash	8,576,000	10,188,000
Income taxes paid in cash	1,774,000	7,635,000
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs	4,440,000	0
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs	10,975,000	26,867,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Change in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE - RSO	97,292,000	28,288,000
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	0	(1,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments	(217,701,000)	(209,991,000)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations	136,561,000	275,199,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(24,622,000)	(4,035,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid	(25,536,000)	(20,978,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity	(2,474,000)	(2,535,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	(15,422,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments		0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	0	0
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments	0
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations	0
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Capital expenditures	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(391,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Dividends paid	0
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity	0
(Decrease) increase in cash	0
Cash, beginning of year	0
Cash, end of period	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Change in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE - RSO	(28,000)	(654,000)
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	0	1,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(391,000)	0
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid	572,000	556,000
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity	$ 0	$ 0