Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Fair Value by Asset and Liability Class) (Details 2) (Ameriprise Financial, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 Available-for-Sale Securities, at fair value		Jun. 30, 2013 Available-for-Sale Securities, at fair value		Jun. 30, 2014 Available-for-Sale Securities, at fair value		Jun. 30, 2013 Available-for-Sale Securities, at fair value		Jun. 30, 2014 Corporate debt securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Corporate debt securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Corporate debt securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Corporate debt securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Residential mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Residential mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Residential mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Residential mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Commercial mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Commercial mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Commercial mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Commercial mortgage backed securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Asset backed securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Asset backed securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Asset backed securities	Jun. 30, 2013 Asset backed securities	Jun. 30, 2014 Common Stocks	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stocks	Jun. 30, 2014 Common Stocks	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stocks	Jun. 30, 2014 Trading Securities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Trading Securities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Other Contract [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Other Contract [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 IUL embedded derivatives		Jun. 30, 2013 IUL embedded derivatives		Jun. 30, 2014 IUL embedded derivatives		Jun. 30, 2013 IUL embedded derivatives		Jun. 30, 2014 GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives [Member]		Jun. 30, 2014 GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives [Member]		Jun. 30, 2014 Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives [Member] Discounted Cash Flow Technique [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives [Member] Discounted Cash Flow Technique [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Nonperformance risk (as a percent)																																																									0.56%	[1]	0.74%	[1]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss)					$ (1)		$ (1)						$ (1)	$ (1)	$ (1)	$ (1)									$ 0		$ 1	$ 1
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Interest Credited to Fixed Accounts																																					8		2		14		6										8	2	14	6
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expenses																																													67		(299)		119		(908)		67	(299)	119	(908)
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period					1,940		2,302		2,123		2,438		1,566	1,764	1,640	1,764	87	8	187	284	75	204	30	206	206	321	260	178	6	5	6	6	2	2
Total gains (losses) included in Net income						[2]	(1)	[2]		[2]		[2]	(1)	(1)	(1)	(1)									1		1	1	0	0	0	0
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)					12		(39)		16		(36)		12	(37)	16	(37)						(4)		(6)		2		7
Purchases					182		124		421		317		46	20	122	74	136	62	218	62		10	60	10		32	21	171					1	1	1	1
Settlements					(69)		(81)		(221)		(137)		(58)	(79)	(201)	(133)	(9)	(1)	(12)	(1)					(2)	(1)	(8)	(3)
Transfers into Level 3							8				8															8		8
Transfers out of Level 3					(80)		(148)		(343)		(425)								(179)	(276)	(60)		(75)		(20)	(148)	(89)	(148)				(1)
Balance, at the end of the period					1,985		2,165		1,985		2,165		1,565	1,667	1,565	1,667	214	69	214	69	15	210	15	210	185	214	185	214	6	5	6	5	1	1
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales									(11)				0		(11)																		(2)	(2)
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period																																			0		154		61		125		45		(471)		266		(575)		833		(317)	327	(450)	878
Total Gains (Losses) Included in Net Income																																			0		8	[3]	2	[3]	14	[3]	6	[3]	68	[3]	(306)	[4]	120	[4]	(924)	[4]	76	(304)	134	(918)
Issues																																					24		13		48		25		60		53		119		103		84	66	167	128
Settlements																																					(2)				(3)				(4)		(2)		(11)		(1)		6	(2)	(14)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period																																			(1)	(1)	184		76		184		76		(347)		11		(347)		11		(163)	87	(163)	87
Net Increase (Decrease) to Pretax Income from Embedded Derivative Liability	$ (6)	$ (28)	$ 9	$ (90)

[1] The nonperformance risk is the spread added to the observable interest rates used in the valuation of the embedded derivatives.

[2] Included in net investment income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

[3] Included in interest credited to fixed accounts in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

[4] Included in benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.