AOCI Rollforward (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ 442	$ 704	$ 253	$ 662
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						$ 6
OCI before reclassifications		193	(201)	374	(152)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		3	(3)	5	(10)
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		196	(204)	379	(162)
Ending balance		638	500	638	500
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Available For Sale Securities Impairment Other than Credit		1	6	1	6
Net unrealized securities gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		625	857	426	786
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						6
OCI before reclassifications		221	(235)	413	(157)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(4)	(3)	(3)	(10)
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		217	(238)	410	(167)
Ending balance	[1]	842	619	842	619
Net unrealized derivatives gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		2	0	1	0
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						0
OCI before reclassifications		0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		1	0	2	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		1	0	2	0
Ending balance		3	0	3	0
Defined benefit plans [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(91)	(71)	(91)	(71)
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						0
OCI before reclassifications		0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		6	0	6	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		6	0	6	0
Ending balance		(85)	(71)	(85)	(71)
Foreign currency translation [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(94)	(82)	(83)	(53)
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						$ 0
OCI before reclassifications		(28)	34	(39)	5
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		(28)	34	(39)	5
Ending balance		$ (122)	$ (48)	(122)	$ (48)
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

[1] Net Unrealized Securities Gains Net Unrealized Derivatives Gains Defined Benefit Plans Foreign Currency Translation Total (in millions)Balance, April 1, 2016$625 $2 $(91) $(94) $442OCI before reclassifications221 — — (28) 193Amounts reclassified from AOCI(4) 1 6 — 3OCI attributable to Ameriprise Financial217 1 6 (28) 196Balance, June 30, 2016$842(1) $3 $(85) $(122) $638Balance, January 1, 2016$426 $1 $(91) $(83) $253Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies6 — — — 6Balance, January 1, 2016, as adjusted432 1 (91) (83) 259OCI before reclassifications413 — — (39) 374Amounts reclassified from AOCI(3) 2 6 — 5OCI attributable to Ameriprise Financial410 2 6 (39) 379Balance, June 30, 2016$842(1) $3 $(85) $(122) $638 Net Unrealized Securities Gains Net Unrealized Derivatives Gains Defined Benefit Plans Foreign Currency Translation Total (in millions)Balance, April 1, 2015$857 $— $(71) $(82) $704OCI before reclassifications(235) — — 34 (201)Amounts reclassified from AOCI(3) — — — (3)OCI attributable to Ameriprise Financial(238) — — 34 (204)Balance, June 30, 2015$619(1) $— $(71) $(48) $500Balance, January 1, 2015$786 $— $(71) $(53) $662OCI before reclassifications(157) — — 5 (152)Amounts reclassified from AOCI(10) — — — (10)OCI attributable to Ameriprise Financial(167) — — 5 (162)Balance, June 30, 2015$619(1) $— $(71) $(48) $500