The Charles Schwab Corporation – Parent Company Only Financial Statements (Condensed Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Interest revenue										$ 3,493	$ 2,657	$ 2,374
Interest expense										(171)	(132)	(102)
Net interest revenue										3,322	2,525	2,272
Other										271	328	343
Expenses excluding interest		$ (1,148)	$ (1,120)	$ (1,108)	$ (1,109)	$ (1,046)	$ (1,014)	$ (999)	$ (1,042)	(4,485)	(4,101)	(3,943)
Income tax benefit										(1,104)	(832)	(794)
Equity in net income of subsidiaries:
Net Income		522	503	452	412	416	376	353	302	1,889	1,447	1,321
Preferred stock dividends and other	[1]									143	83	60
Net Income Available to Common Stockholders		$ 478	$ 470	$ 406	$ 392	$ 378	$ 365	$ 330	$ 291	1,746	1,364	1,261
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Interest revenue										22	12	2
Interest expense										(100)	(86)	(64)
Net interest revenue										(78)	(74)	(62)
Other										1	4	1
Expenses excluding interest										(21)	(27)	(24)
Loss before income tax benefit and equity in net income of subsidiaries										(98)	(97)	(85)
Income tax benefit										34	41	32
Loss before equity in net income of subsidiaries										(64)	(56)	(53)
Equity in net income of subsidiaries:
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries										1,690	1,287	1,157
Dividends from bank subsidiary												45
Dividends from non-bank subsidiaries										263	216	172
Net Income										1,889	1,447	1,321
Preferred stock dividends and other										143	83	60
Net Income Available to Common Stockholders										$ 1,746	$ 1,364	$ 1,261

[1] Includes preferred stock dividends and undistributed earnings and dividends allocated to non-vested restricted stock units.