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Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements (Policies)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation, Policy
Basis of Presentation
 
As a result of the Class B Repurchase and resulting elimination of the separation of the Financial Services Businesses and the Closed Block Business, these Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements refer to the divisions and segments of the Company that formerly comprised the Financial Services Businesses as “PFI excluding Closed Block division” and refer to the operations that were formerly included in the Closed Block Business as the “Closed Block division,” except as otherwise noted. Closed Block Business results were associated with the Company’s Class B Stock for periods prior to January 1, 2015.

The Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Prudential Financial, entities over which the Company exercises control, including majority-owned subsidiaries and minority-owned entities such as limited partnerships in which the Company is the general partner, and variable interest entities in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 for more information on the Company’s consolidated variable interest entities. The Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) on a basis consistent with reporting interim financial information in accordance with instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. 

In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

The Company’s Gibraltar Life Insurance Company, Ltd. (“Gibraltar Life”) consolidated operations use a November 30 fiscal year end for purposes of inclusion in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements; therefore, the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements as of September 30, 2015, include the assets and liabilities of Gibraltar Life and its results of operations as of, and for the three and nine months ended, August 31, 2015, respectively.
Use of Estimates, Policy
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
The most significant estimates include those used in determining deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) and related amortization; value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and its amortization; amortization of sales inducements; measurement of goodwill and any related impairment; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments; future policy benefits including guarantees; pension and other postretirement benefits; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and reserves for contingent liabilities, including reserves for losses in connection with unresolved legal matters.
Reclassifications, Policy
Reclassifications
 
Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.
Earnings Per Share, Policy
Earnings Per Share

As discussed in Note 1, from demutualization through December 31, 2014, the Company had two separate classes of common stock. Basic earnings per share for those periods was computed by dividing available income attributable to each of the two groups of common shareholders by the respective weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share included the effect of all dilutive potential common shares that were outstanding during the period.

As a result of the Class B Repurchase, earnings per share of Common Stock for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, reflects the consolidated earnings of Prudential Financial. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing available income attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share includes the effect of all dilutive potential common shares that were outstanding during the period. See Note 8 for additional information.
Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements
Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued updated guidance regarding investments in flow-through limited liability entities that manage or invest in affordable housing projects that qualify for the low-income housing tax credit. Under the guidance, an entity is permitted to make an accounting policy election to amortize the initial cost of its investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognize the net investment performance in the statement of operations as a component of income tax expense (benefit) if certain conditions are met. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim reporting periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2014. The Company did not elect the proportional amortization method under this guidance.

In January 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance for troubled debt restructurings clarifying when an in-substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and when a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2014, and was applied prospectively. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In April 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance that changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and introduces new disclosures. The new guidance became effective for new disposals and new classifications of disposal groups as held for sale that occur within annual periods that began on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In June 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance that requires repurchase-to-maturity transactions to be accounted for as secured borrowings and eliminates existing guidance for repurchase financings. The guidance also requires new disclosures for certain transactions accounted for as secured borrowings and for transfers accounted for as sales when the transferor also retains substantially all of the exposure to the economic return on the transferred financial assets. Accounting changes and new disclosures for transfers accounted for as sales under the new guidance were effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2014 and did not have a significant effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures. Disclosures for certain transactions accounted for as secured borrowings were effective for interim periods beginning after March 15, 2015 and are included in Note 4.

In August 2014, the FASB issued guidance requiring that mortgage loans be derecognized and that a separate other receivable be recognized upon foreclosure if certain conditions are met. Upon foreclosure, the separate other receivable should be measured based on the amount of the loan balance (principal and interest) expected to be recovered from the guarantor. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2014, and was applied prospectively. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.
Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements
Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance on accounting for revenue recognition. The guidance is based on the core principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. The guidance also requires additional disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. Revenue recognition for insurance contracts is explicitly scoped out of the guidance. In August 2015, the FASB issued an update to defer the original effective date of this guidance. As a result of the deferral, the new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017, and must be applied using one of two retrospective application methods. Early adoption is permitted only for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In August 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance for measuring the financial assets and the financial liabilities of a consolidated collateralized financing entity. Under the guidance, an entity within scope is permitted to measure both the financial assets and financial liabilities of a consolidated collateralized financing entity based on either the fair value of the financial assets or the financial liabilities, whichever is more observable. If elected, the guidance will eliminate the measurement difference that exists when both are measured at fair value. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim reporting periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, and can be elected for modified retrospective or full retrospective adoption. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In February 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance that changes the rules regarding consolidation. The pronouncement eliminates specialized guidance for limited partnerships and similar legal entities, and removes the indefinite deferral for certain investment funds. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance that simplifies presentation of debt issuance costs. The pronouncement requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The new guidance is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted, and it must be applied retrospectively. The Company does not expect the impact of the guidance to have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position and financial statement disclosures.

In May 2015, the FASB issued final guidance that aims to enhance disclosures about insurance contracts classified as short-duration. The new disclosure requirements focus on providing users of financial statements with more transparent information about an insurance entity’s initial claim estimates and subsequent adjustments to those estimates, methodologies and judgments in estimating claims, and timing, frequency and severity of claims as they relate to short-duration insurance contracts. The new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and is to be applied retrospectively. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s financial statement disclosures but has concluded that this guidance will not impact the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.