Receivables - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Deferred origination fees	$ 231,000,000	$ 254,000,000
Net unamortized premium on our receivables	140,000,000	169,000,000
Unearned income on personal non-credit card receivables		8,000,000
Secured financing	3,000,000,000	3,300,000,000
Receivables, collateralizing long-term debt	5,000,000,000	5,300,000,000
Nonaccrual consumer receivables contractually delinquent	90 days
Loans discharged under bankruptcy and not re-affirmed to residential mortgage TDR Loan balances	$ 800,000,000
Percentage of reserve used for discounted cash flow analysis	60.00%
Percentage of receivables from industry	Equal or exceed 10 percent of total receivables	Equal or exceed 10 percent of total receivables
Percentage of receivables by state which individually account hold in portfolio	5 percent or greater of our portfolio	5 percent or greater of our portfolio
Real estate secured [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Percentage of interest-only and stated income loan with respect to real estate secured receivables	7.00%	7.00%
Real estate secured receivables held for sale [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Percentage of interest-only and stated income loan with respect to real estate secured receivables	7.00%	7.00%