INCOME TAXES (Details - EFFECTIVE TAX RATE) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (benefit)
U.S.										$ 1,940	$ 1,041	$ 1,950
Foreign										(474)	(1,115)	1,331
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (benefit)	$ 875	$ (2,803)	$ 1,667	$ 1,727	$ (3,455)	$ 737	$ 2,858	$ (214)		1,466	(74)	3,281
Foreign:
Current										209	436	391
Deferred										25	(121)	(95)
U.S.:
Current										427	140	429
Deferred										6,865	(270)	334
Income tax expense (benefit)										7,526	185	1,059
Reconciliation between actual income tax (benefit) expense and statutory U.S. federal amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate, pre-tax income (loss)
Consolidated total amounts										1,476	(159)	3,281
Amounts attributable to discontinued operations										10	(85)	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (benefit)	875	(2,803)	1,667	1,727	(3,455)	737	2,858	(214)		1,466	(74)	3,281
Reconciliation between actual income tax (benefit) expense and statutory U.S. federal amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate, tax expense/benefit
U.S. federal income tax at statutory rate										517	(56)	1,148
Consolidated total amounts										7,532	190	1,059
Amounts attributable to discontinued operations										6	5	0
Income tax expense (benefit)										7,526	185	1,059
Adjustments:
Tax exempt interest										(111)	(178)	(195)
Uncertain tax positions										660	268	195
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive income										(184)	(132)	(127)
Partial completion of Internal Revenue Service examination											116	109
Tax exempt income										201	253	195
Cross Border Financing Transactions										660	216	324
Dispositions of Subsidiaries										17	118	0
Tax Attribute Restoration										0	(164)	0
Non-controlling Interest										(7)	(81)	0
Non-deductible transfer pricing charges										35	102	97
Dividends received deduction										(90)	(75)	(72)
Effect of foreign operations										69	234	(58)
Share-based compensation payments excess tax deduction										(40)	0	0
State income taxes										(9)	23	34
Impact of Tax Act	6,687									6,687	0	0
Other										(58)	13	(73)
Effect of discontinued operations										3	35	0
Valuation allowance
Continuing operations										43	$ 83	$ 110
Increase (Decrease) in certain other valuation allowances associated with foreign jurisdictions										43
Increase (Decrease) in certain other valuation allowances associated with certain state jurisdictions.		(26)								(634)
Valuation allowance related to unrealized losses that are no more-likely-than-not to be realized										$ 43
Reconciliation between actual income tax (benefit) expense and statutory U.S. federal amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate, percentage of pre-tax income (loss)
U.S. federal income tax at statutory rate (as a percent)									21.00%	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Consolidated total amounts (as a percent)										510.30%	(119.50%)	32.30%
Amounts attributable to discontinued operations (as a percent)										60.00%	(5.90%)	0.00%
Adjustments:
Amounts attributable to continuing operations (as a percent)										513.40%	(250.00%)	32.30%
Tax exempt interest (as a percent)										(7.50%)	111.90%	(5.90%)
Uncertain Tax Positions (as a percent)										44.70%	(168.60%)	5.90%
Reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (as a percent)										(12.50%)	83.00%	(3.90%)
Dispositions of Subsidiaries (as a percent)										1.20%	(74.20%)
Tax Attribute Restoration (as a percent)										0.00%	103.10%	0.00%
Non-controlling Interest (as a percent)										(0.50%)	50.90%
Non-deductible transfer pricing charges (as a percent)										2.40%	(64.20%)	3.00%
Dividends received deduction (as a percent)										(6.10%)	47.20%	(2.20%)
Effect of foreign operations (as a percent)										4.70%	(147.20%)	(1.80%)
Share-based compensation payments excess tax deduction (as a percent)										(2.70%)	0.00%	0.00%
State income taxes (as a percent)										(0.60%)	(14.50%)	1.00%
Impact of Tax Act (as a percent)										453.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Other (as a percent)										(3.90%)	(8.20%)	(2.20%)
Effect of discontinued operations (as a percent)										0.20%	(22.00%)	0.00%
Valuation allowance (as a percent):
Continuing operations (as a percent)										2.90%	(52.20%)	3.40%
Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries	0									$ 0
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
Unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties	4,707				4,530					4,707	$ 4,530	$ 4,331	$ 4,395
Unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized would not affect the effective tax rate	28				66					28	66	115
Unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized would favorably affect the effective tax rate	4,700				4,400					4,700	4,400	4,200
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest and penalties accrued	2,000				1,200					2,000	1,200	1,200
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest net of the federal benefit (expense) and penalties										$ 776	26	156
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance recognized	$ 40	$ 24	$ (8)	$ (13)	$ 87	$ (2)	$ 35	$ (37)
US Life companies capital loss carryforward
Valuation allowance
Continuing operations												$ 0
Other valuation allowance associated with foreign jurisdictions | Residential mortgages dispute resolution
Adjustments:
Other											$ 0