AOCI Rollforward (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ 253	$ 662
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies				$ 6
OCI before reclassifications		181	49
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		2	(7)
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		183	42
Ending balance		442	704
Net unrealized securities gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		426	786
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies				6
OCI before reclassifications		192	78
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		1	(7)
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		193	71
Ending balance	[1]	625	857
Noncredit related impairments on AFS securities		(1)	5
Net unrealized derivatives gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		1	0
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies				0
OCI before reclassifications		0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		1	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		1	0
Ending balance		2	0
Defined benefit plans [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(91)	(71)
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies				0
OCI before reclassifications		0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		0	0
Ending balance		(91)	(71)
Foreign currency translation [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(83)	(53)
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies				$ 0
OCI before reclassifications		(11)	(29)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		(11)	(29)
Ending balance		(94)	$ (82)
Adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		259
Adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member] | Net unrealized securities gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		432
Adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member] | Net unrealized derivatives gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		1
Adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member] | Defined benefit plans [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(91)
Adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member] | Foreign currency translation [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ (83)

[1] Includes $(1) million and $5 million of noncredit related impairments on securities and net unrealized securities gains (losses) on previously impaired securities at March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.