Bank Loans and Related Allowance for Loan Losses (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Loans Receivable [Line Items]
Commitments to extend credit related to unused home equity lines of credit, personal loans secured by securities, and other lines of credit	$ 6,900,000,000us-gaap_UnusedCommitmentsToExtendCredit		$ 6,700,000,000us-gaap_UnusedCommitmentsToExtendCredit
Loans accruing interest contractually 90 days or more past due	0		0
Nonperforming assets, including nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned	40,000,000		44,000,000
First Mortgage [Member]
Loans Receivable [Line Items]
Purchased first mortgages and HELOCs	440,000,000	286,000,000
Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit [Member]
Loans Receivable [Line Items]
Purchased first mortgages and HELOCs	$ 117,000,000	$ 172,000,000

Total nonperforming assets include nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned

No definition available.

Name:	schw_LoansAndLeasesReceivableNetReportedAmountNonperformingAssets
Namespace Prefix:	schw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Recorded investment in financing receivables that are 90 days or more past due and still accruing.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5111-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment90DaysPastDueAndStillAccruing
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow from (a) purchases of loans held-for-investment, (b) purchases of leases held-for-investment, and (c) both.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Unused amount of commitments to extend credit to customers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type: