Fair Value Measurements - Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on Non-recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total Gains (Losses)	$ 1,420		$ 59
Real Estate Secured [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total Gains (Losses)	618		(1,352)
Personal non-credit card [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total Gains (Losses)	(82)		(289)
Receivables Held For Sale [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total Gains (Losses)	536		(1,641)
Receivables Held-for-Investment [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total Gains (Losses)	955	[1]	1,793	[1]
Real Estate Owned [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total Gains (Losses)	(71)	[2]	(93)	[2]
Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	2,047		6,203
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Real Estate Secured [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Personal non-credit card [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Receivables Held For Sale [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Receivables Held-for-Investment [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Receivables held for investment	0	[1]	0	[1]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Real Estate Owned [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Real estate owned	0	[2]	0	[2]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis	1,268		2,357
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Real Estate Secured [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Personal non-credit card [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Receivables Held For Sale [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		0
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Receivables Held-for-Investment [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Receivables held for investment	879	[1]	2,109	[1]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Real Estate Owned [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Real estate owned	389	[2]	248	[2]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis	2,047		6,203
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Real Estate Secured [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	2,047		3,022
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Personal non-credit card [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0	[3]	3,181	[3]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Receivables Held For Sale [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	2,047		6,203
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Receivables Held-for-Investment [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Receivables held for investment	0	[1]	0	[1]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Real Estate Owned [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Real estate owned	0	[2]	0	[2]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Total [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis	3,315		8,560
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Total [Member] | Real Estate Secured [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	2,047		3,022
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Total [Member] | Personal non-credit card [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	0		3,181
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Total [Member] | Receivables Held For Sale [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total receivables held for sale	2,047		6,203
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Total [Member] | Receivables Held-for-Investment [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Receivables held for investment	879	[1]	2,109	[1]
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements [Member] | Total [Member] | Real Estate Owned [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Real estate owned	$ 389	[2]	$ 248	[2]

[1] Total gains (losses) for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 includes amounts recorded on receivables that were subsequently transferred to held for sale.

[2] Real estate owned is required to be reported on the balance sheet net of transactions costs. The real estate owned amounts in the table above reflect the fair value of the underlying asset unadjusted for transaction costs.

[3] Our personal non-credit card portfolio held for sale was classified as Level 3 at December 31, 2012. This portfolio of receivables was sold on April 1, 2013 as previously discussed.