Consolidated Investment Entities (Asset & Liability Balances) (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets
Value of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated	$ 1,300,000,000
Number of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated	3
Value of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated	300,000,000
Number of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated	1
Ameriprise Financial
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Interest Paid	91,000,000	90,000,000
Consolidated Investment Entities:
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Interest Paid	96,000,000	75,000,000
Liabilities
Debt	5,511,000,000		4,804,000,000
Other liabilities	457,000,000		193,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Other assets	300,000,000		267,000,000
Total assets at fair value	414,000,000		304,000,000
Liabilities
Other liabilities	465,000,000		550,000,000
Total liabilities at fair value	465,000,000		550,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	148,000,000		150,000,000
Receivables	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total assets at fair value	148,000,000		150,000,000
Liabilities
Debt	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities at fair value	0		0
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Corporate debt securities | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	0		0
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Common Stocks | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	144,000,000		147,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	4,000,000		3,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Syndicated loans | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	0		0
Recurring | Level 2 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Other assets	3,105,000,000		3,151,000,000
Total assets at fair value	117,261,000,000		114,412,000,000
Liabilities
Other liabilities	3,820,000,000		4,270,000,000
Total liabilities at fair value	3,831,000,000		4,282,000,000
Recurring | Level 2 | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	5,044,000,000		4,468,000,000
Receivables	84,000,000		32,000,000
Other assets	1,000,000		13,000,000
Total assets at fair value	5,129,000,000		4,513,000,000
Liabilities
Debt	0		0
Other liabilities	457,000,000		193,000,000
Total liabilities at fair value	457,000,000		193,000,000
Recurring | Level 2 | Corporate debt securities | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	154,000,000		200,000,000
Recurring | Level 2 | Common Stocks | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	47,000,000		31,000,000
Recurring | Level 2 | Other Investments [Member] | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	32,000,000		33,000,000
Recurring | Level 2 | Syndicated loans | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	4,811,000,000		4,204,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Other assets	1,000,000
Total assets at fair value	1,987,000,000		2,125,000,000
Liabilities
Total liabilities at fair value	(163,000,000)		(450,000,000)
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	434,000,000		384,000,000
Receivables	0		0
Other assets	2,389,000,000		1,936,000,000
Total assets at fair value	2,823,000,000		2,320,000,000
Liabilities
Debt	5,511,000,000		4,804,000,000
Other liabilities	0
Total liabilities at fair value	5,511,000,000		4,804,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Corporate debt securities | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:			2,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Common Stocks | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	7,000,000		14,000,000
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	0		0
Recurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Syndicated loans | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	427,000,000		368,000,000
Recurring | Total | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Other assets	3,406,000,000		3,418,000,000
Total assets at fair value	119,662,000,000		116,841,000,000
Liabilities
Other liabilities	4,285,000,000		4,820,000,000
Total liabilities at fair value	4,133,000,000		4,382,000,000
Recurring | Total | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	5,626,000,000		5,002,000,000
Receivables	84,000,000		32,000,000
Other assets	2,390,000,000		1,949,000,000
Total assets at fair value	8,100,000,000		6,983,000,000
Liabilities
Debt	5,511,000,000		4,804,000,000
Other liabilities	457,000,000		193,000,000
Total liabilities at fair value	5,968,000,000		4,997,000,000
Recurring | Total | Corporate debt securities | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	154,000,000		202,000,000
Recurring | Total | Common Stocks | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	198,000,000		192,000,000
Recurring | Total | Other Investments [Member] | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	36,000,000		36,000,000
Recurring | Total | Syndicated loans | Consolidated Investment Entities:
Assets
Investments:	$ 5,238,000,000		$ 4,572,000,000