Earnings per Share Attributable to Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Common Shareholders (Basic & Diluted) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	$ 352	$ 565	$ 1,307	$ 1,548
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(45)	145	102	353
Income from continuing operations attributable to Ameriprise Financial	397	420	1,205	1,195
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	(1)
Net income (loss) attributable to Ameriprise Financial	$ 397	$ 420	$ 1,205	$ 1,194
Denominator:
Basic: Weighted-average common shares outstanding	180.4	190.3	183.5	192.8
Effect of potentially dilutive nonqualified stock options and other share-based awards (in shares)	2.3	3.4	2.5	3.5
Diluted: Weighted-average common shares outstanding	182.7	193.7	186.0	196.3
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 2.20	$ 2.21	$ 6.57	$ 6.20
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)
Net income (in dollars per share)	2.20	2.21	6.57	6.19
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	2.17	2.17	6.48	6.09
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 2.17	$ 2.17	$ 6.48	$ 6.08
Effect of potentially dilutive nonqualified stock options and other share-based awards (in shares)			1.7	0.2