Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Details 3) (Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	$ (402,000,000)		$ (459,000,000)		$ (149,000,000)
GMWB and GMAB
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(405,000,000)		(452,000,000)		(144,000,000)
Other derivatives
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	3,000,000		(7,000,000)		(5,000,000)
Interest rate derivatives | GMWB and GMAB | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(742,000,000)		17,000,000		709,000,000
Interest rate derivatives | Interest on debt | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(15,000,000)
Interest rate derivatives | Interest Rate Lock Commitments | Other revenues
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives					(1,000,000)
Interest rate derivatives | Seed money | Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	2,000,000
Interest rate derivatives | Bank assets | Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives			(7,000,000)
Interest rate derivatives | Interest Rate Tax Hedge [Member] | Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives			1,000,000
Equity derivatives | GMWB and GMAB | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(1,103,000,000)		(1,218,000,000)		326,000,000
Equity derivatives | Interest on debt | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(8,000,000)
Equity derivatives | Equity indexed annuities (EIA) | Interest credited to fixed accounts
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	3,000,000		1,000,000		(1,000,000)
Equity derivatives | EIA embedded derivatives | Interest credited to fixed accounts
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(3,000,000)		1,000,000		1,000,000
Equity derivatives | Stock market certificates | Banking and deposit interest expense
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	7,000,000		6,000,000		1,000,000
Equity derivatives | Stock market certificates embedded derivatives | Banking and deposit interest expense
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(6,000,000)		(5,000,000)
Equity derivatives | Seed money | Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(17,000,000)		(6,000,000)		4,000,000
Equity derivatives | Deferred Compensation | Distribution expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	9,000,000
Equity derivatives | Deferred Compensation | General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	5,000,000
Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan | Distribution expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives			5,000,000		(4,000,000)
Equity derivatives | IUL | Interest credited to fixed accounts
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	11,000,000		1,000,000		1,000,000
Equity derivatives | IUL embedded derivatives | Interest credited to fixed accounts
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	16,000,000		(4,000,000)		(3,000,000)
Credit derivative contract | GMWB and GMAB | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	6,000,000		(2,000,000)		(12,000,000)
Foreign exchange contract | GMWB and GMAB | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	26,000,000		(1,000,000)		(2,000,000)
Foreign exchange contract | Foreign currency | Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	(2,000,000)				(3,000,000)
Foreign exchange contract | Seed money | General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives					(1,000,000)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Gross notional amount, guaranteed benefit contracts	144,500,000,000		142,100,000,000
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | GMWB and GMAB | Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	1,408,000,000	[1]	752,000,000	[1]	(1,165,000,000)	[1]
Commodity | Seed money | Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Amount of Gain Recognized in Income on Derivatives	$ 1,000,000				$ 1,000,000

[1] The fair values of GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives fluctuate based on changes in equity, interest rate and credit markets.