Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Fair Value Hierarchy for Assets Measured at Fair Value) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	$ 516	$ 517
Securities available for sale	54,783	51,618
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	2,174	1,163
Investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes	6,311	5,276
Other securities owned	516	517
Securities available for sale	54,783	51,618
Total	63,784	58,574
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	2,142	1,141
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	32	22
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Certificates of deposit [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes	4,125	2,737
Securities available for sale	1,534	3,652
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. Government securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes	2,186	2,539
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Schwab Funds money market funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	224	261
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity and bond mutual funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	215	208
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | State and municipal debt obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	51	32
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity, U.S. Government and corporate debt, and other securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	26	16
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	19,366	15,206
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	18,717	18,645
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	8,045	9,007
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. agency notes [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	3,795	4,136
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Treasury securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	2,994
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale		593
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Non-agency commercial mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	317	279
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Other securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	15	100
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	2,142	1,141
Other securities owned	441	470
Total	2,583	1,611
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	2,142	1,141
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Schwab Funds money market funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	224	261
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity and bond mutual funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	215	208
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity, U.S. Government and corporate debt, and other securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	2	1
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	9,189	6,565
Total	88,151	81,242
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	32	22
Investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes	6,311	5,276
Other securities owned	75	47
Securities available for sale	54,783	51,618
Total	61,201	56,963
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	32	22
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Certificates of deposit [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes	4,125	2,737
Securities available for sale	1,534	3,652
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. Government securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes	2,186	2,539
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | State and municipal debt obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	51	32
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity, U.S. Government and corporate debt, and other securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other securities owned	24	15
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	19,366	15,206
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	18,717	18,645
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	8,045	9,007
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. agency notes [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	3,795	4,136
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Treasury securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	2,994
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale		593
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Non-agency commercial mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	317	279
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Other securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities available for sale	$ 15	$ 100