The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=d3e5728-111685

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=d3e5747-111685

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of financial or other support the reporting entity has provided (explicitly or implicitly) to the Variable Interest Entity (VIE) that it was not previously contractually required to provide or that the reporting entity intends to provide, including, for example, situations in which the reporting entity assisted the VIE in obtaining another type of support.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=SL6759159-111685

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of the liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the reporting entity's variable interest in the Variable Interest Entity (VIE), where the reporting entity is not the VIE's primary beneficiary.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=cma_LowIncomeHousingTaxCreditEntitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Unfunded commitments to fund tax credit entities	$ 165
Amount of financial or other support not contractually required provided by the Corporation to VIEs	0	$ 0	$ 0
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Entities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Exposure to loss as a result of involvement with VIEs	422
Other Tax Credit Entities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Exposure to loss as a result of involvement with VIEs	$ 7