Financing Receivables (Credit Quality Information Text) (Details 2) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Credit quality information [Line Items]
Total loans, gross	$ 3,492	$ 3,944
Sales of financing receivables	271	16	$ 13
90 days or more past due
Credit quality information [Line Items]
Nonperforming loans	$ 2	$ 10
Commercial mortgage loans [Member]
Credit quality information [Line Items]
Percentage of commercial mortgage loans with highest risk rating	0.00%	1.00%
Total loans, gross	$ 2,702	$ 2,755
Syndicated loans [Member]
Credit quality information [Line Items]
Total loans, gross	482	553
Syndicated loans [Member] \| 90 days or more past due
Credit quality information [Line Items]
Nonperforming loans	1	6
Consumer loans [Member]
Credit quality information [Line Items]
Total loans, gross	$ 308	$ 636
Percentage of residential mortgage loans below specific FICO score	2.00%	4.00%
FICO score \| item	640	640
Percentage of residential mortgage loans above specific LTV ratio	0.00%	2.00%
LTV ratio	90.00%	90.00%
Percentage of loan portfolio represented by California	52.00%	37.00%
Percentage of loan portfolio represented by Colorado	18.00%
Percentage of loan portfolio represented by Washington State	13.00%
Sales of financing receivables	$ 271
Proceeds from sale of financing receivables	260
Loss on sale of financing receivables	$ (11)

Represents the percentage of commercial mortgage loans that the company has assigned its highest risk rating.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the percentage of total loan portfolio represented by California State.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the percentage of total loan portfolio represented by Colorado State.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	amp_
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- Definition

Represents the percentage of residential mortgage loans which are above specified Loan-To-Value ratios.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	amp_
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- Definition

Represents the percentage of residential mortgage loans which are below specified FICO score.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	amp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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- Definition

Represents the percentage of total loan portfolio represented by Washington State.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	amp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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- Definition

Represents the maximum specified FICO score used for analysis of credit worthiness of borrowers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amp_SpecificFICOScore
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- Definition

Represents the minimum specified Loan-To-Value ratio used for analysis of collateral characteristics.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Recorded Investment in financing receivables that are past due at the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Recorded Investment
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65880944

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=SL6953401-111524

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of any significant sales of financing receivables during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=SL6953423-111524

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the net positive or negative amount derived from subtracting from net proceeds of sale and the carrying amounts, net of allocated reserves, of financial assets transferred to third parties in transactions that qualify for sales treatment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64830801&loc=d3e107425-111719

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount representing an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the entity (holder) a definite sum of money at a future date. Such amount may include accrued interest receivable in accordance with the terms of the note. The note also may contain provisions and related items including a discount or premium, payable on demand, secured, or unsecured, interest bearing or noninterest bearing, among a myriad of other features and characteristics. Excludes amounts related to receivables held-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.10(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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- Definition

The net cash inflow from (a) sales of loans held-for-investment, (b) sales of leases held-for-investment, and (c) both. Includes proceeds from securitizations of loans.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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