Receivables Held for Sale - Summary of Activity in Receivables Held for Sale (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Receivables held for sale, Beginning Balance	$ 0	[1]	$ 4	[1]	$ 3
Lower of amortized cost or fair value adjustment	(1,641)
Carrying value of real estate secured receivables held for sale settled through short sale or transfer to REO	(264)		0		0
Receivables Transfered to Held for Investment	0		(5)		0
Receivables held for sale, Ending Balance	6,203	[1]	0	[1]	4	[1]
Additional lower of amortized cost [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Lower of amortized cost or fair value adjustment	18		1		2
REO [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Lower of amortized cost or fair value adjustment	50
Change in receivable balance	(307)		0		(1)
First Mortgage [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Transfers into receivables held for sale at the lower of amortized cost or fair value	3,287		0		0
Receivables held for sale, Ending Balance	3,022		0
Personal non-credit card [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Transfers into receivables held for sale at the lower of amortized cost or fair value	3,469		0		0
Receivables held for sale, Ending Balance	$ 3,181		$ 0

[1] Net of a valuation allowance of $1.5 billion at December 31, 2012