Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Schedule of balances of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Table Text Block]

The following tables present the balances of assets and liabilities of Ameriprise Financial measured at fair value on a recurring basis:



	December 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in millions)
Assets
Cash equivalents	$	80	$	1,918	$	—	$	1,998
Available-for-Sale securities:
Corporate debt securities	—		14,923		1,425		16,348
Residential mortgage backed securities	—		5,755		218		5,973
Commercial mortgage backed securities	—		2,453		3		2,456
Asset backed securities	—		1,134		162		1,296
State and municipal obligations	—		2,290		—		2,290
U.S. government and agencies obligations	33		35		—		68
Foreign government bonds and obligations	—		224		—		224
Common stocks	5		8		5		18
Total Available-for-Sale securities	38		26,822		1,813		28,673
Trading securities	6		18		—		24
Separate account assets	—		80,349		—		80,349
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes	401		—		—		401
Other assets:
Interest rate derivative contracts	—		1,940		—		1,940
Equity derivative contracts	92		1,495		—		1,587
Credit derivative contracts	—		2		—		2
Foreign exchange derivative contracts	2		54		—		56
Other derivative contracts	—		2		—		2
Total other assets	94		3,493		—		3,587
Total assets at fair value	$	619	$	112,600	$	1,813	$	115,032

Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims:
EIA embedded derivatives	$	—	$	5	$	—	$	5
IUL embedded derivatives	—		—		364		364
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	—		—		851		851		⁽¹⁾
Total policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims	—		5		1,215		1,220		⁽²⁾
Customer deposits	—		4		—		4
Other liabilities:
Interest rate derivative contracts	—		969		—		969
Equity derivative contracts	47		1,946		—		1,993
Foreign exchange derivative contracts	2		16		—		18
Other derivative contracts	—		96		—		96
Other	1		12		—		13
Total other liabilities	50		3,039		—		3,089
Total liabilities at fair value	$	50	$	3,048	$	1,215	$	4,313

⁽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.

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



	December 31, 2014
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in millions)
Assets
Cash equivalents	$	27	$	1,930	$	—	$	1,957
Available-for-Sale securities:
Corporate debt securities	—		15,647		1,518		17,165
Residential mortgage backed securities	—		6,001		206		6,207
Commercial mortgage backed securities	—		2,539		91		2,630
Asset backed securities	—		1,301		169		1,470
State and municipal obligations	—		2,239		—		2,239
U.S. government and agencies obligations	12		35		—		47
Foreign government bonds and obligations	—		251		—		251
Common stocks	5		7		6		18
Total Available-for-Sale securities	17		28,020		1,990		30,027
Trading securities	54		28		1		83
Separate account assets	—		83,256		—		83,256
Other assets:
Interest rate derivative contracts	—		2,031		—		2,031
Equity derivative contracts	282		1,757		—		2,039
Foreign exchange derivative contracts	1		29		—		30
Other derivative contracts	—		1		—		1
Total other assets	283		3,818		—		4,101
Total assets at fair value	$	381	$	117,052	$	1,991	$	119,424

Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims:
EIA embedded derivatives	$	—	$	6	$	—	$	6
IUL embedded derivatives	—		—		242		242
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	—		—		479		479		⁽¹⁾
Total policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims	—		6		721		727		⁽²⁾
Customer deposits	—		6		—		6
Other liabilities:
Interest rate derivative contracts	—		1,136		—		1,136
Equity derivative contracts	376		2,326		—		2,702
Foreign exchange derivative contracts	1		2		—		3
Other derivative contracts	—		114		—		114
Other	—		12		—		12
Total other liabilities	377		3,590		—		3,967
Total liabilities at fair value	$	377	$	3,602	$	721	$	4,700

⁽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.

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

Summary of changes in level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Table Text Block]

The following tables provide a summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities of Ameriprise Financial measured at fair value on a recurring basis:



	Available-for-Sale Securities
	Corporate Debt Securities			Residential Mortgage Backed Securities			Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities			Asset Backed Securities			Common Stocks			Total				Trading Securities
	(in millions)
Balance, January 1, 2015	$	1,518		$	206		$	91		$	169		$	6		$	1,990			$	1
Total gains (losses) included in:
Net income	(2		)	—			—			1			—			(1		)	⁽¹⁾	(1		)	⁽¹⁾
Other comprehensive loss	(21		)	(2		)	—			(2		)	—			(25		)		—
Purchases	189			334			41			72			—			636				—
Settlements	(248		)	(55		)	(7		)	(22		)	—			(332		)		—
Transfers into Level 3	—			—			6			14			—			20				—
Transfers out of Level 3	(11		)	(265		)	(128		)	(70		)	(1		)	(475		)		—
Balance, December 31, 2015	$	1,425		$	218		$	3		$	162		$	5		$	1,813			$	—
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at December 31, 2015 included in:
Net investment income	$	(2	)	$	—		$	—		$	1		$	—		$	(1	)		$	—

⁽¹⁾ Included in net investment income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.



	Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims
	IUL Embedded Derivatives				GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives				Total
	(in millions)
Balance, January 1, 2015	$	242			$	479			$	721
Total losses included in:
Net income	27			⁽¹⁾	105			⁽²⁾	132
Issues	114				271				385
Settlements	(19		)		(4		)		(23		)
Balance, December 31, 2015	$	364			$	851			$	1,215
Changes in unrealized losses relating to liabilities held at December 31, 2015 included in:
Interest credited to fixed accounts	$	27			$	—			$	27
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	—				127				127

⁽¹⁾ Included in interest credited to fixed accounts in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

⁽²⁾ Included in benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.



	Available-for-Sale Securities
	Corporate Debt Securities			Residential Mortgage Backed Securities			Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities			Asset Backed Securities			Common Stocks			Total				Trading Securities
	(in millions)
Balance, January 1, 2014	$	1,640		$	187		$	30		$	260		$	6		$	2,123			$	2
Total gains (losses) included in:
Net income	(1		)	(1		)	1			1			—			—			⁽¹⁾	—
Other comprehensive income	(2		)	—			(2		)	2			(1		)	(3		)		—
Purchases	213			399			59			32			1			704				1
Sales	(18		)	—			—			—			—			(18		)		(2		)
Settlements	(306		)	(24		)	(1		)	(11		)	—			(342		)		—
Transfers into Level 3	—			—			78			—			1			79				—
Transfers out of Level 3	(8		)	(355		)	(74		)	(115		)	(1		)	(553		)		—
Balance, December 31, 2014	$	1,518		$	206		$	91		$	169		$	6		$	1,990			$	1
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at December 31, 2014 included in:
Net investment income	$	(1	)	$	—		$	1		$	1		$	—		$	1			$	—

⁽¹⁾ Included in net investment income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.



	Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims
	IUL Embedded Derivatives				GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives				Total
	(in millions)
Balance, January 1, 2014	$	125			$	(575	)		$	(450	)
Total losses included in:
Net income	40			⁽¹⁾	811			⁽²⁾	851
Issues	90				254				344
Settlements	(13		)		(11		)		(24		)
Balance, December 31, 2014	$	242			$	479			$	721
Changes in unrealized losses relating to liabilities held at December 31, 2014 included in:
Interest credited to fixed accounts	$	40			$	—			$	40
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	—				811				811

⁽¹⁾ Included in interest credited to fixed accounts in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

⁽²⁾ Included in benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.



	Available-for-Sale Securities
	Corporate Debt Securities			Residential Mortgage Backed Securities			Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities			Asset Backed Securities			Common Stocks			Total				Trading Securities
	(in millions)
Balance, January 1, 2013	$	1,764		$	284		$	206		$	178		$	6		$	2,438			$	—
Total gains (losses) included in:
Net income	(3		)	—			—			2			—			(1		)	⁽¹⁾	—
Other comprehensive loss	(41		)	—			(6		)	9			1			(37		)		—
Purchases	135			335			25			259			—			754				2
Settlements	(215		)	(18		)	(36		)	(5		)	—			(274		)		—
Transfers into Level 3	—			—			—			8			—			8				—
Transfers out of Level 3	—			(414		)	(159		)	(191		)	(1		)	(765		)		—
Balance, December 31, 2013	$	1,640		$	187		$	30		$	260		$	6		$	2,123			$	2
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at December 31, 2013 included in:
Net investment income	$	(3	)	$	—		$	—		$	2		$	—		$	(1	)		$	—

⁽¹⁾ Included in net investment income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.



	Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims
	IUL Embedded Derivatives				GMWB and GMAB Embedded Derivatives				Total
	(in millions)
Balance, January 1, 2013	$	45			$	833			$	878
Total (gains) losses included in:
Net income	19			⁽¹⁾	(1,617		)	⁽²⁾	(1,598		)
Issues	62				228				290
Settlements	(1		)		(19		)		(20		)
Balance, December 31, 2013	$	125			$	(575	)		$	(450	)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to liabilities held at December 31, 2013 included in:
Interest credited to fixed accounts	$	19			$	—			$	19
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	—				(1,598		)		(1,598		)

⁽¹⁾ Included in interest credited to fixed accounts in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

⁽²⁾ Included in benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements [Table Text Block]

The following tables provide a summary of the significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements developed by the Company or reasonably available to the Company of Level 3 assets and liabilities:



	December 31, 2015
	Fair Value		Valuation Technique	Unobservable Input	Range				Weighted Average
	(in millions)
Corporate debt securities (private placements)	$	1,411	Discounted cash flow	Yield/spread to U.S. Treasuries	1.1	%	–	3.8%	1.6%
IUL embedded derivatives	$	364	Discounted cash flow	Nonperformance risk⁽¹⁾	68			bps
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	$	851	Discounted cash flow	Utilization of guaranteed withdrawals ⁽²⁾	0.0	%	–	75.6%
				Surrender rate	0.0	%	–	59.1%
				Market volatility⁽³⁾	5.4	%	–	21.5%
				Nonperformance risk⁽¹⁾	68			bps



	December 31, 2014
	Fair Value		Valuation Technique	Unobservable Input	Range				Weighted Average
	(in millions)
Corporate debt securities (private placements)	$	1,476	Discounted cash flow	Yield/spread to U.S. Treasuries	1.0	%	–	3.9%	1.5%
IUL embedded derivatives	$	242	Discounted cash flow	Nonperformance risk ⁽¹⁾	65			bps
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	$	479	Discounted cash flow	Utilization of guaranteed withdrawals ⁽²⁾	0.0	%	–	51.1%
				Surrender rate	0.0	%	–	59.1%
				Market volatility ⁽³⁾	5.2	%	–	20.9%
				Nonperformance risk ⁽¹⁾	65			bps
				Elective contractholder strategy allocations ⁽⁴⁾	0.0	%	–	3.0%

⁽¹⁾ The nonperformance risk is the spread added to the observable interest rates used in the valuation of the embedded derivatives.

⁽²⁾ The utilization of guaranteed withdrawals represents the percentage of contractholders that will begin withdrawing in any given year.

⁽³⁾ Market volatility is implied volatility of fund of funds and managed volatility funds.

⁽⁴⁾ The elective allocation represents the percentage of contractholders that are assumed to electively switch their investment allocation to a different allocation model. As the contractholder experience of related elective strategy allocations reached the ultimate expected levels in 2015, the Company is no longer including this input in the fair value measurement effective September 30, 2015.

Schedule of carrying value and the estimated fair value of financial instruments that are not reported at fair value [Table Text Block]

The following tables provide the carrying value and the estimated fair value of financial instruments that are not reported at fair value. All other financial instruments that are reported at fair value have been included above in the table with balances of assets and liabilities Ameriprise Financial measured at fair value on a recurring basis.



	December 31, 2015
	Carrying Value		Fair Value
	Carrying Value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in millions)
Financial Assets
Mortgage loans, net	$	3,359	$	—	$	—	$	3,372	$	3,372
Policy and certificate loans	824		—		1		803		804
Receivables	1,471		148		1,322		3		1,473
Restricted and segregated cash	2,548		2,548		—		—		2,548
Other investments and assets	583		1		510		54		565
Financial Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims	$	11,523	$	—	$	—	$	12,424	$	12,424
Investment certificate reserves	4,831		—		—		4,823		4,823
Brokerage customer deposits	3,802		3,802		—		—		3,802
Separate account liabilities	4,704		—		4,704		—		4,704
Debt and other liabilities	3,173		202		2,958		113		3,273



	December 31, 2014
	Carrying Value		Fair Value
	Carrying Value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in millions)
Financial Assets
Mortgage loans, net	$	3,440	$	—	$	—	$	3,512	$	3,512
Policy and certificate loans	806		—		1		793		794
Receivables	1,418		215		1,200		3		1,418
Restricted and segregated cash	2,614		2,614		—		—		2,614
Other investments and assets	551		—		460		84		544
Financial Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims	$	12,979	$	—	$	—	$	13,996	$	13,996
Investment certificate reserves	4,201		—		—		4,195		4,195
Brokerage customer deposits	3,465		3,465		—		—		3,465
Separate account liabilities	4,478		—		4,478		—		4,478
Debt and other liabilities	3,576		261		3,446		121		3,828