Variable Interest Entities (Asset & Liability Balances) (Details) - Consolidated investment entities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Liabilities
Debt	$ 6,487	$ 6,030
Other liabilities	238	193
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Investments	148	134
Total assets at fair value	148	134
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 1 [Member] \| Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Investments	144	130
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 1 [Member] \| Other Investments [Member]
Assets
Investments	4	4
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Investments	5,978	5,523
Receivables	39	49
Other assets	1	1
Total assets at fair value	6,018	5,573
Liabilities
Other liabilities	238	193
Total liabilities at fair value	238	193
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Investments	180	171
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Investments	39	40
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Other Investments [Member]
Assets
Investments	25	25
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Syndicated loans [Member]
Assets
Investments	5,734	5,287
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 3 [Member]
Assets
Investments	468	491
Other assets	1,979	1,935
Total assets at fair value	2,447	2,426
Liabilities
Debt	6,487	6,030
Total liabilities at fair value	6,487	6,030
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Investments	11	7
Recurring basis [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Syndicated loans [Member]
Assets
Investments	457	484
Recurring basis [Member] \| Total [Member]
Assets
Investments	6,594	6,148
Receivables	39	49
Other assets	1,980	1,936
Total assets at fair value	8,613	8,133
Liabilities
Debt	6,487	6,030
Other liabilities	238	193
Total liabilities at fair value	6,725	6,223
Recurring basis [Member] \| Total [Member] \| Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Investments	180	171
Recurring basis [Member] \| Total [Member] \| Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Investments	194	177
Recurring basis [Member] \| Total [Member] \| Other Investments [Member]
Assets
Investments	29	29
Recurring basis [Member] \| Total [Member] \| Syndicated loans [Member]
Assets
Investments	$ 6,191	$ 5,771

Fair value portion of amount due from customers or clients for goods or services, including trade receivables, that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, and amounts due from others, including related parties.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 14

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13487-108611

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph a, b

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsReceivableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13476-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of investment securities, including, but not limited to, marketable securities, derivative financial instruments, and investments accounted for under the equity method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Trading Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 35

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27723805&loc=d3e24584-111560

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360136&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph a, f, g

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of other assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of other liabilities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=amp_SyndicatedLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: