Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. is a holding company, which primarily conducts business through its subsidiaries to provide financial planning, products and services that are designed to be utilized as solutions for clients’ cash and liquidity, asset accumulation, income, protection and estate and wealth transfer needs. The foreign operations of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. are conducted primarily through its subsidiary, Threadneedle Asset Management Holdings Sàrl (“Threadneedle”).

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Ameriprise Financial, Inc., companies in which it directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which it is the primary beneficiary (collectively, the “Company”). The income or loss generated by consolidated entities which will not be realized by the Company’s shareholders is attributed to noncontrolling interests in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Noncontrolling interests are the ownership interests in subsidiaries not attributable, directly or indirectly, to Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and are classified as equity within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company, excluding noncontrolling interests, is defined as “Ameriprise Financial.” All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. See Note 3 for additional information related to VIEs.

The results of Securities America Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Securities America”) have been presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. The Company completed the sale of Securities America in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Certain reclassifications of prior period amounts have been made to conform to the current presentation. Results of operations reported for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. These Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated Financial Statements and Notes in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 27, 2013.

The Company has reclassified certain prior year amounts in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows within operating activities to provide more detail related to derivatives. The Company previously classified the change in freestanding derivatives hedging guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits (“GMWB”) and guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits (“GMAB”) liabilities in the “Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims” line, the change in all other freestanding derivatives in the “Other, net” line, and the change in derivatives collateral in the “Derivatives collateral, net” line within operating cash flows. The Company reclassified the changes in freestanding derivatives, as well as the change in derivatives collateral, to a new line titled “Derivatives, net of collateral” within operating cash flows.

The interim financial information in this report has not been audited. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated results of operations and financial position for the interim periods have been made. Except for the adjustment described below, all adjustments made were of a normal recurring nature.

In the second quarter of 2012, the Company made a correction for a tax item related to prior periods, which resulted in a $32 million decrease to net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial. The Company discovered it had received incomplete data from a third party service provider for securities lending activities that resulted in the miscalculation of the Company’s dividend received deduction and foreign tax credit, which resulted in an understatement of taxes payable and an overstatement of reported earnings in prior periods. Management determined that the effect of this correction was not material to the Consolidated Financial Statements for all prior periods. The Company resolved the data issue and stopped the securities lending that negatively impacted its tax position.

The Company evaluated events or transactions that may have occurred after the balance sheet date for potential recognition or disclosure through the date the financial statements were issued.