CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION (UNAUDITED) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 675,064	$ 781,843
Available-for-sale securities, at fair value	2,756,906us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities	3,049,442us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Held-to-maturity securities, at amortized cost	1,479,781us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities	1,548,265us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Loans receivable, net	8,420,988	8,148,322
Covered loans, net	138,005	176,476
Interest receivable	40,359	52,037
Premises and equipment, net	264,063us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	257,543us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Real estate held for sale	60,822us-gaap_RealEstateHeldforsale	55,072us-gaap_RealEstateHeldforsale
Real estate held for investment	4,068us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNet	4,808us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNet
Covered real estate held for sale	15,668	24,082
FDIC indemnification asset	23,115wfsl_FdicLossShareReceivable	36,860wfsl_FdicLossShareReceivable
FHLB & FRB stock	150,918us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankStock	158,839us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankStock
Bank owned life insurance	100,961us-gaap_BankOwnedLifeInsurance	0us-gaap_BankOwnedLifeInsurance
Intangible assets, net	300,903wfsl_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsNet	302,909wfsl_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsNet
Federal and state income tax assets, net	7,908us-gaap_IncomeTaxReceivable	16,515us-gaap_IncomeTaxReceivable
Other assets	171,490us-gaap_OtherAssets	143,028us-gaap_OtherAssets
Assets	14,611,019us-gaap_Assets	14,756,041us-gaap_Assets
Customer accounts
Transaction deposit accounts	5,707,797wfsl_TransactionDeposits	5,490,687wfsl_TransactionDeposits
Time deposit accounts	4,984,828us-gaap_TimeDeposits	5,226,241us-gaap_TimeDeposits
Customer accounts	10,692,625	10,716,928
FHLB advances	1,830,000	1,930,000
Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance	18,008	29,004
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	102,246	106,826
Liabilities	12,642,879us-gaap_Liabilities	12,782,758us-gaap_Liabilities
Stockholders’ equity
Common stock, $1.00 par value, 300,000,000 shares authorized; 133,622,663 and 133,322,909 shares issued; 95,088,294 and 98,404,705 shares outstanding	133,623us-gaap_CommonStockValue	133,323us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Paid-in capital	1,640,984	1,638,211
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes	23,485	20,708
Treasury stock, at cost; 38,534,369 and 34,918,204 shares	(602,463)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue	(525,108)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue
Retained earnings	772,511	706,149
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	1,968,140us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,973,283us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Liabilities and Equity	$ 14,611,019	$ 14,756,041

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred and payable to vendors for goods and services received, and other costs not separately disclosed in the balance sheet that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered.

No definition available.