Customer Accounts Receivable (Tables)
 3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2018
Receivables [Abstract]  
Allowance for doubtful accounts and uncollectible interest for customer receivables
Customer accounts receivable consisted of the following:
 
Total Outstanding Balance
 
Customer Accounts Receivable
 
60 Days Past Due (1)
 
Re-aged (1) (2)
(in thousands)
April 30,
2018
 
January 31,
2018
 
April 30,
2018
 
January 31,
2018
 
April 30,
2018
 
January 31,
2018
Customer accounts receivable
$
1,330,793

 
$
1,374,269

 
$
104,499

 
$
114,120

 
$
202,298

 
$
217,952

Restructured accounts
163,700

 
153,593

 
37,095

 
37,687

 
163,700

 
153,593

Total customer portfolio balance
$
1,494,493

 
$
1,527,862

 
$
141,594

 
$
151,807

 
$
365,998

 
$
371,545

Allowance for uncollectible accounts
(204,100
)
 
(203,572
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Allowances for no-interest option credit programs
(20,827
)
 
(20,960
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred fees and origination costs, net
(15,898
)
 
(15,897
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total customer accounts receivable, net
1,253,668

 
1,287,433

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Short-term portion of customer accounts receivable, net
(618,160
)
 
(636,825
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Long-term portion of customer accounts receivable, net
$
635,508

 
$
650,608

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securitized receivables held by the VIEs
$
869,872

 
$
1,085,385

 
$
108,105

 
$
124,627

 
$
299,327

 
$
300,348

Receivables not held by the VIEs
624,621

 
442,477

 
33,489

 
27,180

 
66,671

 
71,197

Total customer portfolio balance
$
1,494,493

 
$
1,527,862

 
$
141,594

 
$
151,807

 
$
365,998

 
$
371,545

(1)
Due to the fact that an account can become past due after having been re-aged, accounts could be represented as both past due and re-aged. As of April 30, 2018 and January 31, 2018, the amounts included within both 60 days past due and re-aged was $81.6 million and $80.8 million, respectively. As of April 30, 2018 and January 31, 2018, the total customer portfolio balance past due one day or greater was $383.8 million and $401.0 million, respectively. These amounts include the 60 days past due balances shown.
(2)
The re-aged receivables balance as of April 30, 2018 and January 31, 2018 includes $54.2 million and $62.0 million in first time re-ages related to customers within FEMA-designated Hurricane Harvey disaster areas.
Activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts and uncollectible interest for customer receivables
The following presents the activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts and uncollectible interest for customer receivables: 
 
Three Months Ended April 30, 2018
 
Three Months Ended April 30, 2017
(in thousands)
Customer
Accounts
Receivable
 
 
Restructured
Accounts
 
 
 
Total
 
Customer
Accounts
Receivable
 
 
Restructured
Accounts
 
 
 
Total
Allowance at beginning of period
$
148,856

 
$
54,716

 
$
203,572

 
$
158,992

 
$
51,183

 
$
210,175

Provision (1)
38,740

 
16,660

 
55,400

 
48,516

 
17,232

 
65,748

Principal charge-offs (2)
(39,775
)
 
(11,144
)
 
(50,919
)
 
(48,087
)
 
(13,397
)
 
(61,484
)
Interest charge-offs
(7,360
)
 
(2,062
)
 
(9,422
)
 
(7,519
)
 
(2,095
)
 
(9,614
)
Recoveries (2)
4,272

 
1,197

 
5,469

 
1,749

 
487

 
2,236

Allowance at end of period
$
144,733

 
$
59,367

 
$
204,100

 
$
153,651

 
$
53,410

 
$
207,061

Average total customer portfolio balance
$
1,347,373

 
$
159,410

 
$
1,506,783

 
$
1,372,808

 
$
139,026

 
$
1,511,834

(1)
Includes provision for uncollectible interest, which is included in finance charges and other revenues.
(2)
Charge-offs include the principal amount of losses (excluding accrued and unpaid interest). Recoveries include principal collections of previously charged-off balances. Net charge-offs are calculated as the net of principal charge-offs and recoveries.