Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Assets & liabilities reported at FV) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
Liabilities
Derivative liability	[1],[2]	$ 5,570		$ 4,300
Cumulative change in embedded derivatives due to nonperformance		(634)		(398)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Derivative liability		1,600		994
Derivative asset		75		143
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		29,480		28,673
Separate account assets		80,182		80,349
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		16,603		16,348
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,138		5,973
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,617		2,456
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,389		1,296
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,385		2,290
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		59		68
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		272		224
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		17		18
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Total [Member]
Assets
Total assets at fair value		117,098		115,032
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		72		80
Available-for-Sale securities		28		38
Trading securities		7		6
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		351		401
Other assets		80		94
Total assets at fair value		538		619
Liabilities
Other liabilities		47		50
Total liabilities at fair value		47		50
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		6		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		79		92
Liabilities
Other liabilities		39		47
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1		2
Liabilities
Other liabilities		2		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		24		33
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		4		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,295		1,918
Available-for-Sale securities		27,682		26,822
Trading securities		23		18
Other assets		4,608		3,493
Total assets at fair value		34,608		32,251
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Customer deposits		5		4
Other liabilities		3,630		3,039
Total liabilities at fair value		3,640		3,048
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		8		12
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		3,168		1,940
Liabilities
Other liabilities		1,609		969
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,369		1,495
Liabilities
Other liabilities		1,888		1,946
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets				2
Liabilities
Other liabilities		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		67		54
Liabilities
Other liabilities		23		16
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		4		2
Liabilities
Other liabilities		97		96
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		15,192		14,923
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		5,964		5,755
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,607		2,453
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,219		1,134
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,385		2,290
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		272		224
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		8		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,765		1,808
Other assets		0		0
Total assets at fair value		1,765		1,808
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,897		1,215
Total liabilities at fair value		1,897		1,215
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		382		364
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,515		851
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,411		1,425
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		174		218
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		10		3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		170		162
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,367		1,998
Available-for-Sale securities		29,480		28,673
Trading securities		30		24
Separate account assets		80,182	[3]	80,349	[4]
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		351		401
Other assets		4,688		3,587
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,902	[5]	1,220	[6]
Customer deposits		5		4
Other liabilities		3,677		3,089
Total liabilities at fair value		5,584		4,313
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		14		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		3,168		1,940
Liabilities
Other liabilities		1,609		969
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,448		1,587
Liabilities
Other liabilities		1,927		1,993
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets				2
Liabilities
Other liabilities		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		68		56
Liabilities
Other liabilities		25		18
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		4		2
Liabilities
Other liabilities		97		96
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		382		364
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,515	[7]	851	[8]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		16,603		16,348
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,138		5,973
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,617		2,456
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,389		1,296
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,385		2,290
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		59		68
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		272		224
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		12		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Total [Member] | Common stocks measured at NAV [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		$ 5	[3]	$ 5	[4]

[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 $2.2 billion and $1.6 billion at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. See Note 11 for additional information related to master netting arrangements and cash collateral. See Note 3 for information about derivatives held by consolidated VIEs.

[3] Amounts are comprised of certain investments that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient and have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy. See Note 2 for further information.

[4] Amounts are comprised of certain investments that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient and have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy. See Note 2 for further information.

[5] The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $634 million cumulative decrease to the embedded derivatives.

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

[7] The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $1.6 billion of individual contracts in a liability position and $75 million of individual contracts in an asset position.

[8] 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.