Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Level 3 rollforwards-Assets) (Details 2) (Ameriprise Financial [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	$ 1,518	$ 1,640
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)	13	4
Purchases	15	76
Sales		(11)
Settlements	(20)	(143)
Balance, at the end of the period	1,526	1,566
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Net investment income	0	(1)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	206	187
Purchases	115	82
Settlements	(9)	(3)
Transfers out of Level 3	(32)	(179)
Balance, at the end of the period	280	87
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	91	30
Purchases		60
Settlements	(1)
Transfers into Level 3	6
Transfers out of Level 3	(76)	(15)
Balance, at the end of the period	20	75
Asset backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	169	260
Purchases	23	21
Settlements	(2)	(6)
Transfers out of Level 3	(32)	(69)
Balance, at the end of the period	158	206
Common stocks [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	6	6
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)	1
Transfers out of Level 3		0
Balance, at the end of the period	7	6
Total available-for-sale securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	1,990	2,123
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)	14	4
Purchases	153	239
Sales		(11)
Settlements	(32)	(152)
Transfers into Level 3	6
Transfers out of Level 3	(140)	(263)
Balance, at the end of the period	1,991	1,940
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Net investment income		(1)
Trading securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period	1	2
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	$ 1	$ 2