Number of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated

No definition available.

Name:	amp_Numberofvariableinterestorvotingrightsentitiesconsolidated
Namespace Prefix:	amp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amp_Numberofvariableinterestorvotingrightsentitiesliquidated
Namespace Prefix:	amp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Value of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated during the period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amp_Valueofvariableinterestorvotingrightsentitiesconsolidated
Namespace Prefix:	amp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Value of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amp_Valueofvariableinterestorvotingrightsentitiesliquidated
Namespace Prefix:	amp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

For each line item in the statement of financial position, the amounts of gains and losses from fair value changes included in earnings.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 30

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14172-108612

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueOptionChangesInFairValueGainLoss1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of the assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the reporting entity's variable interest in the Variable Interest Entity (VIE), where the reporting entity is not the VIE's primary beneficiary.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph a

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=52262685&loc=d3e5728-111685

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=amp_NetInvestmentIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	amp_VariableInterestEntityTypeAxis=amp_SponsoredhedgefundsandprivateequityfundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	amp_VariableInterestEntityTypeAxis=amp_AffordablehousingpartnershipsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	amp_VariableInterestEntityTypeAxis=amp_CLOMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	amp_VariableInterestEntityTypeAxis=amp_PropertyFundMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Variable Interest Entities (non-consolidated VIEs and changes to consolidated VIEs) (Details 6) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Consolidated investment entities [Member] \| Net investment income [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Total net gains (losses) recognized in net investment income related to changes in the fair value of financial assets and liabilities for which the fair value option was elected	$ (61)	$ (16)	$ (32)	$ 4
Sponsored hedge funds and private equity funds [Member] \| Variable interest entities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Carrying value, non-consolidated VIE investments	89		89		$ 89
Affordable housing partnerships [Member] \| Variable interest entities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Carrying value, non-consolidated VIE investments	$ 486		$ 486		$ 504
CLO [Member] \| Consolidated investment entities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Number of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated			2	2
Value of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated			$ 1,300	$ 1,100
Number of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated			0	1
Value of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated				$ 315
Property Fund [Member] \| Consolidated investment entities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Number of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated			3	1
Value of variable interest or voting rights entities consolidated			$ 452	$ 206
Number of variable interest or voting rights entities liquidated			1