Credit Loss Reserves - Summarizes Changes in Credit Loss Reserves by Product/Class and Related Receivable Balance by Product (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Credit loss reserves at beginning of period					$ 4,607					$ 5,952		$ 4,607		$ 5,952		$ 5,512
Provision for credit losses	(152)		(160)	267	24	408	[1]	287	738	791	925	(21)		2,224	[2]	4,418	[3]
Charge-offs												(1,521)	[4]	(3,021)	[4]	(4,481)
Recoveries												200		417		503
Total net charge-offs												(1,321)		(2,604)		(3,978)
Other												8
Reserves on receivables transferred to held for sale												0		(965)
Credit loss reserves at end of period	3,273					4,607						3,273		4,607		5,952
Reserve components:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	604					937						604		937		1,252
Individually evaluated for impairment	2,616	[5]				3,533	[5]					2,616	[5]	3,533	[5]	4,266	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	52					132						52		132		425
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	1					5						1		5		9
Total credit loss reserves	3,273					4,607						3,273		4,607		5,952
Receivables:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	14,617					18,426						14,617		18,426		28,876
Individually evaluated for impairment	11,076	[5]				12,388	[5]					11,076	[5]	12,388	[5]	13,058	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	879					2,109						879		2,109		5,937
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	12					16						12		16		41
Total receivables	26,584					32,939						26,584		32,939		47,912
First Lien [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Credit loss reserves at beginning of period					3,867					4,089		3,867		4,089		3,355
Provision for credit losses												(24)		1,812	[2]	3,227	[3]
Charge-offs												(1,186)	[4]	(2,094)	[4]	(2,527)
Recoveries												112		60		34
Total net charge-offs												(1,074)		(2,034)		(2,493)
Other												8
Reserves on receivables transferred to held for sale												0		0
Credit loss reserves at end of period	2,777					3,867						2,777		3,867		4,089
Reserve components:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	469					722						469		722		632
Individually evaluated for impairment	2,256	[5]				3,010	[5]					2,256	[5]	3,010	[5]	3,026	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	51					131						51		131		423
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	1					4						1		4		8
Total credit loss reserves	2,777					3,867						2,777		3,867		4,089
Receivables:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	12,656					16,012						12,656		16,012		21,660
Individually evaluated for impairment	10,073	[5]				11,233	[5]					10,073	[5]	11,233	[5]	10,693	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	830					2,043						830		2,043		5,847
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	9					13						9		13		35
Total receivables	23,568					29,301						23,568		29,301		38,235
Second Lien [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Credit loss reserves at beginning of period					740					823		740		823		832
Provision for credit losses												53		397	[2]	758	[3]
Charge-offs												(335)	[4]	(538)	[4]	(827)
Recoveries												38		58		60
Total net charge-offs												(297)		(480)		(767)
Other												0
Reserves on receivables transferred to held for sale												0		0
Credit loss reserves at end of period	496					740						496		740		823
Reserve components:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	135					215						135		215		286
Individually evaluated for impairment	360	[5]				523	[5]					360	[5]	523	[5]	534	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	1					1						1		1		2
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	0					1						0		1		1
Total credit loss reserves	496					740						496		740		823
Receivables:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	1,961					2,414						1,961		2,414		3,358
Individually evaluated for impairment	1,003	[5]				1,155	[5]					1,003	[5]	1,155	[5]	1,024	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	49					66						49		66		90
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	3					3						3		3		6
Total receivables	3,016					3,638						3,016		3,638		4,478
Personal non-credit card [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Credit loss reserves at beginning of period					0					1,040		0		1,040		1,325
Provision for credit losses												(50)		15	[2]	433	[3]
Charge-offs												0	[4]	(389)	[4]	(1,127)
Recoveries												50		299		409
Total net charge-offs												50		(90)		(718)
Other												0
Reserves on receivables transferred to held for sale												0		(965)
Credit loss reserves at end of period	0					0						0		0		1,040
Reserve components:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	0					0						0		0		334
Individually evaluated for impairment	0	[5]				0	[5]					0	[5]	0	[5]	706	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	0					0						0		0		0
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	0					0						0		0		0
Total credit loss reserves	0					0						0		0		1,040
Receivables:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	0					0						0		0		3,855
Individually evaluated for impairment	0	[5]				0	[5]					0	[5]	0	[5]	1,341	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	0					0						0		0		0
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	0					0						0		0		0
Total receivables	0					0						0		0		5,196
Other [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Credit loss reserves at beginning of period					0					0		0		0		0
Provision for credit losses												0		0	[2]	0	[3]
Charge-offs												0	[4]	0	[4]	0
Recoveries												0		0		0
Total net charge-offs												0		0		0
Reserves on receivables transferred to held for sale												0		0
Credit loss reserves at end of period	0					0						0		0		0
Reserve components:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	0					0						0		0		0
Individually evaluated for impairment	0	[5]				0	[5]					0	[5]	0	[5]	0	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	0					0						0		0		0
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	0					0						0		0		0
Total credit loss reserves	0					0						0		0		0
Receivables:
Collectively evaluated for impairment	0					0						0		0		3
Individually evaluated for impairment	0	[5]				0	[5]					0	[5]	0	[5]	0	[5]
Receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell	0					0						0		0		0
Receivables acquired with deteriorated credit quality	0					0						0		0		0
Total receivables	0					0						0		0		3
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Lower On Adjustment Held For Sale Related To Credit														(112)
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Lower On Adjustment Held For Sale Related To Credit														$ (112)

[1] The provision for credit losses during the fourth quarter of 2012 included $350 million related to changes in the loss emergence period used in our roll rate migration analysis. See Note 6, "Credit Loss Reserves," in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the adoption of this new accounting guidance.

[2] Provision for credit losses during 2012 includes $112 million related to the lower of amortized cost or fair value attributable to credit for personal non-credit card receivables transferred to held for sale at June 30, 2012. See Note 7, "Receivables Held for Sale," for additional information.

[3] Provision for credit losses for 2011 includes $925 million related to the adoption of new accounting guidance for TDR Loans in the third quarter of 2011 as discussed more fully in Note 5, "Receivables."

[4] For collateral dependent receivables that are transferred to held for sale, existing credit loss reserves at the time of transfer are recognized as a charge-off. We transferred to held for sale certain real estate secured receivables during 2013 and 2012 that were carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell and recognized the existing credit loss reserves on these receivables as additional charge-off totaling $164 million during 2013 and $333 million during 2012.

[5] These amounts represent TDR Loans for which we evaluate reserves using a discounted cash flow methodology. Each loan is individually identified as a TDR Loan and then grouped together with other TDR Loans with similar characteristics. The discounted cash flow impairment analysis is then applied to these groups of TDR Loans. The receivable balance above excludes TDR Loans that are carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell which totaled $604 million, $1,488 million and $2,526 million at December 31, 2013, December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The reserve component above excludes credit loss reserves for TDR Loans that are carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell which totaled $38 million, $94 million and $143 million at December 31, 2013, December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. These credit loss reserves are reflected within receivables carried at the lower of amortized cost or fair value of the collateral less cost to sell in the table above.