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Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) |  | 3 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 29, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Apr. 29, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) payment | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loans purchased |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |
Private Education Loan loss confirmation period (in years) |  |  |  |  |  | 1 year |  |
FFELP Loan loss confirmation period (in years) |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |
Loan delinquent period |  |  |  | 90 days |  |  |  |
Minimum days past due for spin off loan purchase |  |  |  |  |  | 90 days |  |
Period of hardship forbearance |  |  |  |  |  | 6 months |  |
Period after grace period for forbearance allowance for loans |  |  |  |  |  | 9 months |  |
Private education loans |  |  |  |  | $ 8,246,647,000 | $ 10,515,505,000 | $ 8,246,647,000 |
Loss confirmation period | 2 years |  |  |  |  | 1 year |  |
Interest rate reduction and forbearance usage (greater than) |  |  |  |  |  | 3 months |  |
Forbearance period after grace period for loans |  |  |  |  |  | 6 months |  |
Period of forbearance period to be classified as TDR |  |  |  |  |  | 3 months |  |
Percentage of loans granted forbearance |  |  |  |  | 10.00% | 23.00% | 10.00% |
Percentage of Private Education Loans related to borrowers inschool, grace or deferment |  |  |  |  | 36.00% | 32.00% | 36.00% |
Dollar amount of change in allowance due to policy change |  | $ 14,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Period after last payment contractually due private education loan considered to be delinquent |  |  |  |  |  | 31 days |  |
Percentage reimbursement on all qualifying default claims period two |  |  |  |  |  | 97.00% |  |
Percentage reimbursement on all qualifying default claims period one |  |  |  |  |  | 98.00% |  |
Percentage reimbursement on all qualifying default claims period three |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Period of notification for withdrawal of deposits (less than or equal to) |  |  |  |  |  | 7 days |  |
Consolidation loan rebate fee |  |  |  |  |  | 1.05% |  |
Loans sold |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 805,000,000 | $ 2,400,000,000
Gains on sales of loans, net |  |  | $ 36,000,000 |  | $ 85,000,000 | $ 135,358,000 | 121,359,000 | $ 196,593,000
Asset balance related to securitization trust (Percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 10.00% |  |
Tax indemnification receivable |  |  |  |  | 240,311,000 | $ 186,076,000 | 240,311,000 |
Remaining amount of indemnification |  |  |  |  |  | 170,000,000 |  |
Deferred tax asset discount |  |  |  |  |  | 16,000,000 |  |
Deferred taxes |  |  | 283,000,000 |  | $ 158,216,000 | $ 81,588,000 | 158,216,000 |
Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loan delinquent period | 150 days |  |  |  |  | 30 days |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loan delinquent period | 212 days |  |  |  |  | 120 days |  |
FFELP Loans Rehabilitated |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment period for rehabilitation qualification | payment |  |  |  |  |  | 9 |  |
Period of Loan Rehabilitation |  |  |  |  |  | 10 months |  |
Loans purchased |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | $ 7,464,000 |
Percent of loan par value |  |  |  |  | 101.67% |  | 101.67% |
Split Loans |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Private education loans |  |  |  |  |  | 89,000,000 |  |
Navient |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax indemnification receivable |  |  | 291,000,000 |  |  | 186,076,000 |  |
Remaining amount of indemnification |  |  |  |  |  | 170,000,000 |  |
Deferred tax asset discount |  |  | 27,000,000 |  |  | 16,000,000 |  |
Deferred tax liability |  |  | 310,000,000 |  |  | 207,000,000 |  |
Deferred taxes |  |  | 283,000,000 |  |  | $ 191,000,000 |  |
Deferred tax assets |  |  | 310,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Deferred tax asset discount |  |  | $ 19,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
ABCP borrowings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contractual maturity related to ABCP facility |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |

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