Certain Transfers of Financial Assets and Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Total assets	$ 173,181			$ 173,181			$ 176,859
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net	5,205	[1]		5,205	[1]		2,353
Total liabilities	152,782			152,782			156,793
Long-term Debt	10,765	[2]		10,765	[2]		10,908	[2]
Servicing fees received by the Company	64		58	215		202
Other assets	5,796			5,796			6,159
Senior financing outstanding to VIEs	6,381			6,381			6,279
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net	328			328			315
Long-term Debt	683			683			722
Residential Mortgage | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Gain (Loss) on Sales, Net	306		167	765		285
Transferor's Interests in Transferred Financial Assets, Fair Value	101			101			104
Total assets	466			466			529
Commercial and Corporate Loans [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Total assets	1,800			1,800			2,000
Total liabilities	1,700			1,700			1,900
Commercial and Corporate Loans [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Preference Shares
Total assets	2			2			2
Commercial and Corporate Loans [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Loans Receivable, Net							315
Long-term Debt	287			287			289
Student Loans [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Loans Receivable, Net	400			400			438
Long-term Debt	396			396			433
Student Loans [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Upper Limit
Government guaranteed percent	97.00%			97.00%			97.00%
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Total assets	1,200			1,200			1,200
Declines in fair values for the total retained interests due to 20% adverse changes in the discount rate	27			27
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Trading Assets [Member]
Transferor's Interests in Transferred Financial Assets, Fair Value	47			47			43
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Lower Limit
Declines in fair values for the total retained interests due to 20% adverse changes in the discount rate	7			7
Total Return Swap | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Senior financing outstanding to VIEs	1,900			1,900			1,700
VIEs had entered into TRS contracts with the Company with outstanding notional amounts	1,900			1,900			1,600
Derivative asset positions	56			56			20
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	52			52			17
Community Development Investments [Member]
valuation losses on affordable housing properties	96			96
Community Development Investments [Member] | General Partner [Member]
Total assets	2			2			5
Total liabilities	1			1			1
valuation losses on affordable housing properties	3			3
Community Development Investments [Member] | Partnership [Member]
Total assets	240			240			360
Total liabilities	105			105			107
valuation losses on affordable housing properties	93			93
Community Development Investments [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Total assets	1,200			1,200			1,200
Other assets	65			65			68
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	103			103			108
Community Development Investments [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Limited Partner
Other assets	190			190			194
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	492			492			472
Loans issued by the Company to the limited partnerships	253			253			249
Ridgeworth Fund | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Total assets	400			400			1,100
Loans Held-for-Sale
LHFS Accruing90OrMoreDaysPastDueAndNonaccruing	$ 1,167			$ 1,167			$ 3

[1] 1 Includes loans held for sale, at fair value, of consolidated VIEs328 315

[2] 3 Includes debt of consolidated VIEs ($288 and $289 at fair value as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively)683 722