Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Notes)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Service Corporation International (SCI) and all subsidiaries in which we hold a controlling financial interest. Our financial statements also include the accounts of the merchandise and service trusts and cemetery perpetual care trusts in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary. Our interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited but include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals and any other adjustments, which management considers necessary for a fair statement of our results for these periods. Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in a manner consistent with the accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, unless otherwise disclosed herein, and should be read in conjunction therewith. The accompanying year-end condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year period. Reclassifications to Prior Period Financial Statements Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period financial statement presentation with no effect on our previously reported results of operations, consolidated financial position, or cash flows. For the first half of 2016, we recorded in General and administrative expenses an out-of-period expense of $5.5 million for previously improperly capitalized acquisition costs. Such amounts are immaterial to both current and prior period financial statements. Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. These estimates and assumptions may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates. Accounting Standards Adopted in 2016 Consolidation In February 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) amended "Consolidation" to revise the consolidation model for limited partnerships, variable interest entities, and certain investment funds. Further, the amendment provides guidance on how fee arrangements and related parties should be considered when determining whether to consolidate variable interest entities. As a result of this amendment, all legal entities were reevaluated to determine if they should be consolidated. We adopted the amendment effective January 1, 2016, with no impact our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Debt Issuance Costs In April 2015, the FASB amended "Interest—Imputation of Interest" to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs on the balance sheet. Prior to adoption of this amendment, debt issuance costs were included in Other current assets and Deferred charges and other assets on our unaudited condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The amendment requires that these costs instead be presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of Current maturities of long-term debt and Long-term debt, consistent with the presentation of debt discounts. In August 2015, the FASB issued an additional amendment that provides additional guidance to "Interest—Imputation of Interest" since it did not address presentation or subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The amendment noted that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. This change does not impact the manner in which the debt issuance costs are expensed over the term of the debt. We have retrospectively adopted the change in presentation effective January 1, 2016. As a result, we recast our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015 to reduce Other current assets and Current maturities of long-term debt by $8.4 million and to reduce Deferred charges and other assets and Long-term debt by $34.1 million. Cloud Computing Arrangements In April 2015, the FASB amended "Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software" to provide guidance on whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then we should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, we should account for the arrangement as a service contract. We adopted the amendment effective January 1, 2016, with no impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Fair Value Measurements In May 2015, the FASB amended "Fair Value Measurements" to remove the requirement to disclose the fair value measurement hierarchy level associated with investments measured at net asset value as a practical expedient. Other disclosures required by the standard for these assets remain the same. This amendment does not change the underlying accounting for these investments. We retrospectively adopted the amendment effective January 1, 2016, and have made the appropriate disclosures in Notes 3, 4, and 5. Business Combinations In September 2015, the FASB amended "Business Combinations" to eliminate the requirement for an acquirer in a business combination to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Under the new guidance, acquirers must recognize measurement-period adjustments in the period in which they determine the amount of the adjustment. We adopted the amendment on January 1, 2016 and it will be applied prospectively to measurement-period adjustments occurring after that date, if any. Recently Issued Accounting Standards Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued "Revenue from Contracts with Customers," which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in "Revenue Recognition" and most industry-specific guidance. This new standard is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, and timing of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. Additionally, the new standard requires the deferral of direct incremental selling costs to the period in which the underlying revenue is recognized. In August 2015, the FASB issued an amendment that defers implementation of "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" for all entities by one year. In 2016, the FASB issued additional amendments clarifying guidance on principal versus agent considerations, identifying performance obligations, and licensing, under the new standard. The new standard will be effective for us beginning January 1, 2018 and we intend to implement the standard with the modified retrospective approach, which recognizes the cumulative effect of application recognized on that date. We are evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Inventory In July 2015, the FASB amended "Inventory" to state that an entity using an inventory method other than last-in, first out ("LIFO") or the retail inventory method should measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The new guidance clarifies that net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2017, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Financial Instruments In January 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide additional guidance on the recognition and measurement of financial assets and liabilities. The amendment requires investments in equity instruments to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value reflected in net income. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2018, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. In June 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on debt instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. This amendment replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in the current standard with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2020, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Leases In February 2016, the FASB amended "Leases" to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. Under the new standard, an entity will be required to recognize lease assets and liabilities on its balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. In addition, the new standard offers specific accounting guidance for a lessee, a lessor, and sale and leaseback transactions. Lessees and lessors are required to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements to enable a user of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. This new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2019. We are evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Stock Compensation In March 2016, the FASB amended "Stock Compensation" to simplify certain aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2017, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Service Corporation International (SCI) and all subsidiaries in which we hold a controlling financial interest. Our financial statements also include the accounts of the merchandise and service trusts and cemetery perpetual care trusts in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary. Our interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited but include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals and any other adjustments, which management considers necessary for a fair statement of our results for these periods. Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in a manner consistent with the accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, unless otherwise disclosed herein, and should be read in conjunction therewith. The accompanying year-end condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year period.

Reclassifications to Prior Period Financial Statements

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period financial statement presentation with no effect on our previously reported results of operations, consolidated financial position, or cash flows. For the first half of 2016, we recorded in General and administrative expenses an out-of-period expense of $5.5 million for previously improperly capitalized acquisition costs. Such amounts are immaterial to both current and prior period financial statements.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. These estimates and assumptions may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates.

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2016

Consolidation

In February 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) amended "Consolidation" to revise the consolidation model for limited partnerships, variable interest entities, and certain investment funds. Further, the amendment provides guidance on how fee arrangements and related parties should be considered when determining whether to consolidate variable interest entities. As a result of this amendment, all legal entities were reevaluated to determine if they should be consolidated. We adopted the amendment effective January 1, 2016, with no impact our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Debt Issuance Costs

In April 2015, the FASB amended "Interest—Imputation of Interest" to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs on the balance sheet. Prior to adoption of this amendment, debt issuance costs were included in Other current assets and Deferred charges and other assets on our unaudited condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The amendment requires that these costs instead be presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of Current maturities of long-term debt and Long-term debt, consistent with the presentation of debt discounts.

In August 2015, the FASB issued an additional amendment that provides additional guidance to "Interest—Imputation of Interest" since it did not address presentation or subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The amendment noted that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement.

This change does not impact the manner in which the debt issuance costs are expensed over the term of the debt. We have retrospectively adopted the change in presentation effective January 1, 2016. As a result, we recast our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015 to reduce Other current assets and Current maturities of long-term debt by $8.4 million and to reduce Deferred charges and other assets and Long-term debt by $34.1 million.

Cloud Computing Arrangements

In April 2015, the FASB amended "Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software" to provide guidance on whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then we should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, we should account for the arrangement as a service contract. We adopted the amendment effective January 1, 2016, with no impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Fair Value Measurements

In May 2015, the FASB amended "Fair Value Measurements" to remove the requirement to disclose the fair value measurement hierarchy level associated with investments measured at net asset value as a practical expedient. Other disclosures required by the standard for these assets remain the same. This amendment does not change the underlying accounting for these investments. We retrospectively adopted the amendment effective January 1, 2016, and have made the appropriate disclosures in Notes 3, 4, and 5.

Business Combinations

In September 2015, the FASB amended "Business Combinations" to eliminate the requirement for an acquirer in a business combination to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Under the new guidance, acquirers must recognize measurement-period adjustments in the period in which they determine the amount of the adjustment. We adopted the amendment on January 1, 2016 and it will be applied prospectively to measurement-period adjustments occurring after that date, if any.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued "Revenue from Contracts with Customers," which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in "Revenue Recognition" and most industry-specific guidance. This new standard is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, and timing of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. Additionally, the new standard requires the deferral of direct incremental selling costs to the period in which the underlying revenue is recognized. In August 2015, the FASB issued an amendment that defers implementation of "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" for all entities by one year. In 2016, the FASB issued additional amendments clarifying guidance on principal versus agent considerations, identifying performance obligations, and licensing, under the new standard. The new standard will be effective for us beginning January 1, 2018 and we intend to implement the standard with the modified retrospective approach, which recognizes the cumulative effect of application recognized on that date. We are evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Inventory

In July 2015, the FASB amended "Inventory" to state that an entity using an inventory method other than last-in, first out ("LIFO") or the retail inventory method should measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The new guidance clarifies that net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2017, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Financial Instruments

In January 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide additional guidance on the recognition and measurement of financial assets and liabilities. The amendment requires investments in equity instruments to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value reflected in net income. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2018, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

In June 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on debt instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. This amendment replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in the current standard with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2020, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB amended "Leases" to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. Under the new standard, an entity will be required to recognize lease assets and liabilities on its balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. In addition, the new standard offers specific accounting guidance for a lessee, a lessor, and sale and leaseback transactions. Lessees and lessors are required to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements to enable a user of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. This new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2019. We are evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Stock Compensation

In March 2016, the FASB amended "Stock Compensation" to simplify certain aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2017, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.