INCOME TAXES	3 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES	Mar. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	15. INCOME TAXES The Company elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), commencing with the taxable year ended December 31, 2015 (the REIT Election”). As such, the Company’s income is generally not subject to U.S. Federal, state and local corporate income taxes other than as described below. Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries have elected to be treated as TRSs. TRSs permit the Company to participate in certain activities from which REITs are generally precluded, as long as these activities meet specific criteria, are conducted within the parameters of certain limitations established by the Code, and are conducted in entities which elect to be treated as taxable subsidiaries under the Code. To the extent these criteria are met, the Company will continue to maintain its qualification as a REIT. The Company’s TRSs are not consolidated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but are instead taxed as corporations. For financial reporting purposes, a provision for current and deferred taxes is established for the portion of earnings recognized by the Company with respect to its interest in TRSs. Current income tax expense (benefit) was $(16.6) million and $(6.0) million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company’s net deferred tax assets (liabilities) were $(14.2) million and $(2.1) million, respectively, and are included in other assets (other liabilities) in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Deferred income tax expense (benefit) included within the provision for income taxes was $12.0 million and $3.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company’s net deferred tax liability is comprised of deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets (aside from the exception noted below) will be realized in the future. Realization of the deferred tax assets is dependent upon our generation of sufficient taxable income in future years in appropriate tax jurisdictions to obtain benefit from the reversal of temporary differences. The amount of deferred tax assets considered realizable is subject to adjustment in future periods if estimates of future taxable income change. As of March 31, 2020, the Company has a deferred tax asset of $9.8 million relating to capital losses which it may only use to offset capital gains. These tax attributes will begin to expire if unused in 2021. As the realization of these assets are not more likely than not before their expiration, the Company provided a full valuation allowance against this deferred tax asset. Additionally, as of March 31, 2020, the Company had a deferred tax asset of $0.9 million related to Code Section 163(j) interest expense limitation. As the Company is uncertain if this asset will be realized in the future, the Company provided a full valuation allowance against this deferred tax asset. The Company has historically calculated its tax provision during quarterly reporting periods by applying an annual effective tax rate for the full year to the income for the reporting period; however, for the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company used a discrete effective tax rate method to calculate taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Given the uncertainty in the markets driven by COVID-19, the Company is not able to reliably forecast the split of its income between its REIT and TRS entities. The Company determined that since changes in estimated income between its REIT and TRS entities would result in significant changes in the estimated annual effective tax rate, the historical method would not provide a reliable estimate for the three month period ended March 31, 2020. The Company’s tax returns are subject to audit by taxing authorities. Generally, as of March 31, 2020, the tax years 2016-2019 remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions in which the Company is subject to taxes. The IRS recently completed its audit of the 2014 tax year and did not recommend any changes to the Company’s tax return. The Company is currently under New York City audit for tax years 2012-2014. Several of the Company’s subsidiary entities are under New York State audit for tax years 2015-2018. The Company does not expect these audits to result in any material changes to the Company’s financial position. The Company does not expect tax expense to have an impact on either short, or long-term liquidity or capital needs. The Company acquired certain corporate entities at the time of its IPO. The related acquisition agreements provided an indemnification to the Company by each transferor of any amounts due for any potential tax liabilities owed by these entities for tax years prior to their acquisition. In connection with a New York State audit settlement, the Company collected $2.5 million of indemnities under the acquisition agreements during 2019. Under U.S. GAAP, a tax benefit related to an income tax position may be recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities based on the technical merits of the position. As of December 31, 2019, the Company’s unrecognized tax benefit is a liability for $0.2 million, and is included in the accrued expenses in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The statute of limitations for the unrecognized tax benefit as of December 31, 2019 has expired as of March 31, 2020. This expiration allowed the Company to release the remainder of the unrecognized tax benefit liability. In addition, the Company does not believe that it has any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that it will be required to record a significant liability for unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months. Tax Receivable Agreement Upon consummation of the IPO, the Company entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with the Continuing LCFH Limited Partners. Under the Tax Receivable Agreement the Company generally is required to pay to those Continuing LCFH Limited Partners that exchange their interests in LCFH and Class B shares of the Company for Class A shares of the Company, 85% of the applicable cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that the Company realizes (or is deemed to realize in certain circumstances) as a result of (i) the increase in tax basis in its proportionate share of LCFH’s assets that is attributable to the Company as a result of the exchanges and (ii) payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, including any tax benefits related to imputed interest deemed to be paid by the Company as a result of such agreement. The Company may make future payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement if the tax benefits are realized. The Company would then benefit from the remaining 15% of cash savings in income tax that we realize. For purposes of the Tax Receivable Agreement, cash savings in income tax will be computed by comparing our actual income tax liability to the amount of such taxes that we would have been required to pay had there been no increase to the tax basis of the assets of LCFH as a result of the exchanges and had we not entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement, the Company recorded a liability of $1.6 million, included in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets for Continuing LCFH Limited Partners.