Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of transfers of assets measured on a recurring basis out of Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy into Level 2.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of transfers of assets measured on a recurring basis out of Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy into Level 1.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel2ToLevel1TransfersAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all investments.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Investments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5728-111685

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5747-111685

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Number of Classes of Notes

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrts_DebtInstrumentNumberofClassesofNotes
Namespace Prefix:	vrts_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Investment, Basis Spread on Variable Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrts_InvestmentBasisSpreadonVariableRate
Namespace Prefix:	vrts_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Investments, Carrying Amount Exceeds Fair Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrts_InvestmentsCarryingAmountExceedsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	vrts_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of additional consolidated sponsored investment products.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrts_NumberOfAdditionalConsolidatedSponsoredInvestmentProducts
Namespace Prefix:	vrts_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of sponsored investment products deconsolidated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrts_NumberOfSponsoredInvestmentProductsDeconsolidated
Namespace Prefix:	vrts_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Products Consolidated

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrts_NumberofProductsConsolidated
Namespace Prefix:	vrts_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=vrts_VotingInterestEntityVOEMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=vrts_FinancingFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=vrts_SeniorSecuredFloatingRateNotesNewfleetCLO20161Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=vrts_SubordinatedNotesNewfleetCLO20161Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubordinatedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Consolidation - Additional Information (Details)	9 Months Ended
Consolidation - Additional Information (Details)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) Product	Jun. 09, 2016 USD ($) classes_notes	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Product	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Fair value, securities, Level 1 to Level 2 transfers, amount	$ 0			$ 0
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary, Aggregated Disclosure [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying value and maximum risk of loss	8,100,000
Consolidated Sponsored Investment Products [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Fair value, securities, Level 2 to Level 1 transfers, amount	300,000			8,900,000
Fair value, securities, Level 1 to Level 2 transfers, amount	500,000			$ 300,000
Investments	$ 137,140,000		$ 323,335,000
Consolidated Sponsored Investment Products [Member] \| Consolidated Sponsored Investment Products - VOEs [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of consolidated products \| Product	18		12
Number of additional products consolidated during the period \| Product	11
Number products deconsolidated during the period \| Product	5
Investments	$ 95,452,000		$ 291,247,000
Consolidated Sponsored Investment Products [Member] \| Consolidated Sponsored Investment Product - VIE [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of consolidated products \| Product	1
Investments	$ 41,688,000		32,088,000
Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Debt par value		$ 356,300,000.0
Debt outstanding	0		152,597,000
Investments	$ 360,210,000		199,485,000
LIBOR [Member] \| Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Investments, basis spread on variable interest rate	7.50%
LIBOR [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate	1.00%
LIBOR [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate	8.75%
Eliminations and Adjustments [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Investments		36,300,000
Financing Facility [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Debt outstanding			$ 152,600,000
Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes - Newfleet CLO 2016-1 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Debt par value		$ 320,000,000.0
Number of classes of notes \| classes_notes		6
Unpaid principal balance exceeds fair value	$ 100,000
Subordinated Notes - Newfleet CLO 2016-1 [Member] \| Subordinated Debt [Member] \| Consolidated Investment Product [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Debt par value		$ 36,300,000.0