Financing Receivables and Allowance for Losses on Financing Receivables (Net Investment in Financing Leases) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	$ 273,936	$ 295,037
Less allowance for losses	(4,985)	(6,190)	(7,919)
Financing receivables	268,951	288,847
Total financing leases
Total minimum lease payments receivables	36,451	44,157
Principal and interest on third-party nonrecourse debt	(4,662)	(6,812)
Net Rentals Receivable	31,789	37,345
Estimated unguaranteed residual value of leased assets	6,346	7,592
Deferred income	(5,664)	(6,795)
Investment in financing leases, net of deferred income	32,471	38,142
Allowance for losses	(198)	(294)
Deferred taxes	(4,506)	(6,718)
Net investment in financing leases	27,767	31,130
Direct financing leases
Total minimum lease payments receivables	29,416	33,667
Principal and interest on third-party nonrecourse debt	0	0
Net rentals receivable	29,416	33,667
Estimated unguaranteed residual value of leased assets	4,272	5,140
Deferred income	(4,453)	(5,219)
Investment in financing leases, net of deferred income	29,235	33,588
Allowance for losses	(193)	(281)
Deferred taxes	(2,245)	(2,938)
Net investment in financing leases	26,797	30,369
Leveraged leases
Total minimum lease payments receivables	7,035	10,490
Principal and interest on third-party nonrecourse debt	(4,662)	(6,812)
Net rentals receivable	2,373	3,678
Estimated unguaranteed residual value of leased assets	2,074	2,452
Deferred income	(1,211)	(1,576)
Investment in financing leases, net of deferred income	3,236	4,554
Allowance for losses	(5)	(13)
Deferred taxes	(2,261)	(3,780)
Net investment in financing leases	970	761
Initial direct costs on direct financing leases	330	413
Pre-tax income	81	116
Income tax	32	45
Total loans
2013	56,668
2014	22,076
2015	19,889
2016	18,214
2017	17,114
2018 and later	48,593
Loans	182,554
Consumer revolving loans	58,911
Total	241,465	256,895
Net rentals receivables
2013	8,700
2014	6,633
2015	5,235
2016	3,751
2017	2,234
2018 and later	5,236
Net rentals receivable	31,789	37,345
Consumer revolving loans	0
Total	31,789
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	137,810	148,570
Less allowance for losses	(1,041)	(1,530)	(2,045)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Americas CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	72,517	80,505
Less allowance for losses	(490)	(889)	(1,288)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Europe CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	37,035	36,899
Less allowance for losses	(445)	(400)	(429)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Asia CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	11,401	11,635
Less allowance for losses	(80)	(157)	(222)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	605	436
Less allowance for losses	(6)	(4)	(6)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	121,558	129,475
Less allowance for losses	(1,021)	(1,450)	(1,945)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Energy Financial Services Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	4,851	5,912
Less allowance for losses	(9)	(26)	(22)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | GECAS Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	10,915	11,901
Less allowance for losses	(8)	(17)	(20)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	486	1,282
Less allowance for losses	(3)	(37)	(58)
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	20,946	32,749
Less allowance for losses	(320)	(1,089)	(1,488)
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member] | Debt Real Estate [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	19,746	24,501
Less allowance for losses	(279)	(949)	(1,292)
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member] | Business Properties Real Estate [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	1,200	8,248
Less allowance for losses	(41)	(140)	(196)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	115,180	113,718
Less allowance for losses	(3,624)	(3,571)	(4,386)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US residential mortgages [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	33,451	35,550
Less allowance for losses	(480)	(546)	(689)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US installment and revolving credit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	18,546	18,544
Less allowance for losses	(623)	(717)	(937)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | US installment and revolving credit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	50,853	46,689
Less allowance for losses	(2,282)	(2,008)	(2,333)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US auto [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	4,260	5,691
Less allowance for losses	(67)	(101)	(168)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Other Financing Receivable [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	8,070	7,244
Less allowance for losses	$ (172)	$ (199)	$ (259)