Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Assets & Liabilities Reported at Fair Value) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
Liabilities:
Liability	[1],[2]	$ 4,262		$ 4,300
Asset	[3]	3,446		3,587
Cumulative change in embedded derivatives due to nonperformance		(498)		(398)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability		880		994
Asset		266		143
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		30,719		28,673
Separate account assets		80,210		80,349
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		16,236		16,348
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,918		5,973
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3,367		2,456
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,549		1,296
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,358		2,290
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		8		68
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		261		224
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		22		18
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		1,826		1,998
Available-for-Sale securities		30,719		28,673
Trading securities		25		24
Separate account assets	[4]	80,210		80,349
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		425		401
Other assets		3,446		3,587
Total assets at fair value		116,651		115,032
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,083	[5]	1,220	[6]
Customer deposits		8		4
Other liabilities		3,195		3,089
Total liabilities at fair value		4,286		4,313
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		24		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,775		1,940
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		979		969
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,568		1,587
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		2,027		1,993
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		93		56
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		47		18
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		9		2
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		118		96
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		464		364
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		614	[7]	851	[8]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		16,236		16,348
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,918		5,973
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3,367		2,456
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,549		1,296
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,358		2,290
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		8		68
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		261		224
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		17		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Equity securities measured at NAV [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities	[4]	5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		30		80
Available-for-Sale securities		16		38
Trading securities		9		6
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		425		401
Other assets		56		94
Total assets at fair value		536		619
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		10		50
Total liabilities at fair value		10		50
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		3		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		42		92
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		3		47
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		13		2
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		2		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		8		33
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		8		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		1,796		1,918
Available-for-Sale securities		29,050		26,822
Trading securities		16		18
Other assets		3,390		3,493
Total assets at fair value		34,252		32,251
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Customer deposits		8		4
Other liabilities		3,172		3,039
Total liabilities at fair value		3,185		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		1,775		1,940
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		977		969
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,526		1,495
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		2,024		1,946
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		80		54
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		45		16
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		8		2
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		118		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		14,925		14,923
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,650		5,755
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3,367		2,453
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,481		1,134
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,358		2,290
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities				35
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		261		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		1,648		1,808
Total assets at fair value		1,648		1,808
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		1,078		1,215
Other liabilities		13
Total liabilities at fair value		1,091		1,215
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities:
Other liabilities		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities:
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		464		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		614		851
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,311		1,425
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		268		218
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities				3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		68		$ 162
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		$ 1

[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 $1.5 billion and $1.6 billion at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. See Note 15 for additional information related to master netting arrangements and cash collateral. See Note 4 for information about derivatives held by consolidated VIEs.

[3] The fair value of freestanding derivative assets is included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

[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 3 for further information.

[5] The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $498 million cumulative decrease to the embedded derivatives at December 31, 2016.

[6] The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $398 million cumulative decrease to the embedded derivatives at December 31, 2015.

[7] The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $880 million of individual contracts in a liability position and $266 million of individual contracts in an asset position at December 31, 2016.

[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 at December 31, 2015.