Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Assets & Liabilities Reported at Fair Value) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Liabilities:
Liability	[1],[2]	$ 4,300		$ 4,688
Asset	[3]	3,587		4,101
Cumulative change in embedded derivatives due to nonperformance		(398)		(311)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability		994		700
Asset		143		221
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		28,673		30,027
Separate account assets		80,349		83,256
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		16,348		17,165
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		5,973		6,207
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,456		2,630
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,296		1,470
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,290		2,239
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		68		47
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		224		251
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		18		18
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		80		27
Available-for-Sale securities		38		17
Trading securities		6		54
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		401
Other assets		94		283
Total assets at fair value		619		381
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		50		377
Total liabilities at fair value		50		377
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		92		282
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		47		376
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2		1
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		2		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		33		12
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		1,918		1,930
Available-for-Sale securities		26,822		28,020
Trading securities		18		28
Separate account assets		80,349		83,256
Other assets		3,493		3,818
Total assets at fair value		112,600		117,052
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		6
Customer deposits		4		6
Other liabilities		3,039		3,590
Total liabilities at fair value		3,048		3,602
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		12		12
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,940		2,031
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		969		1,136
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,495		1,757
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		1,946		2,326
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		54		29
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		16		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2		1
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		96		114
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		6
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		14,923		15,647
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		5,755		6,001
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,453		2,539
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,134		1,301
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,290		2,239
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		35		35
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		224		251
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		8		7
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,813		1,990
Trading securities				1
Total assets at fair value		1,813		1,991
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,215		721
Total liabilities at fair value		1,215		721
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		364		242
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		851		479
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,425		1,518
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		218		206
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3		91
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		162		169
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		5		6
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		1,998		1,957
Available-for-Sale securities		28,673		30,027
Trading securities		24		83
Separate account assets		80,349		83,256
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		401
Other assets		3,587		4,101
Total assets at fair value		115,032		119,424
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,220	[4]	727	[5]
Customer deposits		4		6
Other liabilities		3,089		3,967
Total liabilities at fair value		4,313		4,700
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		13		12
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,940		2,031
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		969		1,136
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,587		2,039
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		1,993		2,702
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		56		30
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		18		3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2		1
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		96		114
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		6
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		364		242
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		851	[6]	479	[7]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		16,348		17,165
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		5,973		6,207
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,456		2,630
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,296		1,470
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,290		2,239
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		68		47
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		224		251
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		$ 18		$ 18

[1] The fair value of freestanding derivative liabilities is included in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of GMWB and GMAB, IUL, and EIA embedded derivatives is included in Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of the SMC embedded derivative liability is included in Customer deposits on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

[2] The fair value of the Company’s derivative liabilities after considering the effects of master netting arrangements, cash collateral held by the same counterparty and the fair value of net embedded derivatives was $1.6 billion and $1.5 billion at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. See Note 15 for additional information related to master netting arrangements and cash collateral. See Note 4 for information about derivatives held by consolidated VIEs.

[3] The fair value of freestanding derivative assets is included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

[4] (2) The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $398 million cumulative decrease to the embedded derivatives.

[5] 2) The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $311 million cumulative decrease to the embedded derivatives.

[6] (1) The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $994 million of individual contracts in a liability position and $143 million of individual contracts in an asset position.

[7] (1) The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $700 million of individual contracts in a liability position and $221 million of individual contracts in an asset position.