Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net investment income	$ 491,000,000	$ 427,000,000	$ 1,431,000,000	$ 1,430,000,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes	602,000,000	199,000,000	1,491,000,000	820,000,000
Interest and debt expense	68,000,000	68,000,000	194,000,000	209,000,000
Net of tax	382,000,000	173,000,000	1,038,000,000	640,000,000
Net unrealized securities losses	18,000,000	(112,000,000)	283,000,000	(174,000,000)
Income tax provision	154,000,000	47,000,000	395,000,000	248,000,000
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)			14.3	18.7
Repurchase of common shares			1,110,000,000	990,000,000
Remaining Balance under Stock Repurchase Program			1,000,000,000
Number of shares reacquired through surrender of restricted shares			0.4	0.3
Value of shares reacquired through surrender of restricted shares			26,000,000	18,000,000
Number of shares reacquired through net settlement of options			2.7
Aggregate value of shares reacquired through net settlement of options			203,000,000
Net settlement of stock options related to strike price			130,000,000
Value of shares reacquired through net settlement of options			73,000,000
Treasury shares reissued for restricted stock award grants and Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan (in shares)			1.9	1.8
Net unrealized loss on Available-for-Sale securities
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net unrealized securities losses	18,000,000		283,000,000
Net unrealized loss on Available-for-Sale securities | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net investment income	(7,000,000)		(7,000,000)
Net of tax	(5,000,000)		(5,000,000)
Income tax provision	2,000,000		2,000,000
Losses (gains) on cash flow hedge | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes	1,000,000		1,000,000
Net of tax	1,000,000		1,000,000
Income tax provision	0		0
Losses (gains) on cash flow hedge | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Interest rate derivatives
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Interest and debt expense	(2,000,000)		(3,000,000)
Losses (gains) on cash flow hedge | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Interest rate swaptions
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net investment income	$ 3,000,000		$ 4,000,000