Subsequent Events	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events	NOTE 16. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS On October 25, 2011, the Board approved the declaration of a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share of Moody's common stock, payable on December 10, 2011 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 20, 2011.

Tabular disclosure of significant events or transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date through the date the financial statements were issued or the date the financial statements were available to be issued. Examples include: the sale of a capital stock issue, purchase of a business, settlement of litigation, losses resulting from fire or flood, losses on receivables, significant realized and unrealized gains and losses that result from changes in quoted market prices of securities, declines in market prices of inventory, changes in authorized or issued debt (SEC), significant foreign exchange rate changes, substantial loans to insiders or affiliates, significant long-term investments, and substantial dividends not in the ordinary course of business.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Topic 855

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6842918&loc=SL6314017-165662

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