Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	192	618
12 months or more | Positions	271	250
Total | Positions	463	868
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,213	$ 8,308
12 months or more	2,289	2,244
Total	4,502	10,552
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(36)	(259)
12 months or more	(117)	(167)
Total	$ (153)	$ (426)
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	46	347
12 months or more | Positions	53	48
Total | Positions	99	395
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 454	$ 5,150
12 months or more	568	454
Total	1,022	5,604
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(14)	(220)
12 months or more	(52)	(76)
Total	$ (66)	$ (296)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	103	123
12 months or more | Positions	173	164
Total | Positions	276	287
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 1,389	$ 1,869
12 months or more	1,248	1,350
Total	2,637	3,219
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(13)	(16)
12 months or more	(39)	(50)
Total	$ (52)	$ (66)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions		58
12 months or more | Positions		4
Total | Positions		62
Fair Value
Less than 12 months		$ 695
12 months or more		49
Total		744
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months		(13)
12 months or more		(1)
Total		$ (14)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	36	50
12 months or more | Positions	23	14
Total | Positions	59	64
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 346	$ 455
12 months or more	316	254
Total	662	709
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(9)	(7)
12 months or more	(4)	(4)
Total	$ (13)	$ (11)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	5	31
12 months or more | Positions	6	5
Total | Positions	11	36
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 17	$ 100
12 months or more	126	110
Total	143	210
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(1)
12 months or more	(15)	(27)
Total	$ (15)	$ (28)
Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	2	9
12 months or more | Positions	16	15
Total | Positions	18	24
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 7	$ 39
12 months or more	31	27
Total	38	66
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(2)
12 months or more	(7)	(9)
Total	$ (7)	$ (11)