Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Intangible Assets Level 3 (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

The changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill for our funeral and cemetery reporting units are as follows: (in thousands):



	2016									2015
	Funeral			Cemetery			Total			Funeral			Cemetery			Total
	(In thousands)
Balance as of January 1	$	1,490,502		$	305,838		$	1,796,340		$	1,510,879		$	299,974		$	1,810,853

Increase (decrease) in goodwill related to acquisitions	26,809			(151		)	26,658			6,460			6,201			12,661
Reduction of goodwill related to divestitures	(26,554		)	(270		)	(26,824		)	(8,908		)	(262		)	(9,170		)
Effect of foreign currency	2,898			9			2,907			(17,929		)	(75		)	(18,004		)
Activity	3,153			(412		)	2,741			(20,377		)	5,864			(14,513		)
Balance as of December 31	$	1,493,655		$	305,426		$	1,799,081		$	1,490,502		$	305,838		$	1,796,340

Schedule of Intangible Assets [Table Text Block]

The components of intangible assets at December 31 were as follows:



	Useful Life
	Minimum		Maximum	2016		2015
	(Years)			(In thousands)
Amortizing intangibles:
Covenants-not-to-compete	2	-	20	$	211,549	$	206,822
Customer relationships	10	-	20	146,876		154,364
Tradenames	5	-	5	9,150		12,750
Other	5	-	40	11,927		11,927
				379,502		385,863
Less: Accumulated amortization				268,061		257,157
Amortizing intangibles, net				111,441		128,706

Non-amortizing intangibles:
Tradenames			Indefinite	245,984		230,659
Other			Indefinite	10,640		10,640
Non-amortizing intangibles				256,624		241,299

Intangible assets, net				$	368,065	$	370,005

Schedule of Expected Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]

The following is estimated amortization expense, excluding certain intangibles for which we are unable to provide an estimate because they are amortized based on specific identification in the performance of a preneed contract, for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2016 (in thousands):



2017	$	11,718
2018	$	10,961
2019	$	7,711
2020	$	6,613
2021	$	6,504