Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Level 3 rollforwards-Assets) (Details 2) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Transfers from Level 1 to Level 2, assets		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Transfers from Level 2 to Level 1, assets		0	0	0	0
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		1,344	1,411	1,311	1,425
Total gains (losses) included in net income			(1)		(2)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		2	13	2	31
Purchases		8	14	70	14
Settlements		(21)	(87)	(50)	(118)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,333	1,350	1,333	1,350
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at end of period					(1)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		316	174	268	218
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		1	2	1	(1)
Purchases				132
Settlements		(13)	(23)	(25)	(39)
Transfers out of Level 3		(132)		(204)	(25)
Balance, at the end of the period		172	153	172	153
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			10		3
Purchases					9
Settlements			(1)		(3)
Transfers out of Level 3			(9)		(9)
Balance, at the end of the period			0		0
Asset backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		64	170	68	162
Total gains (losses) included in net income					(1)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		1	(3)	2	(6)
Purchases		5	15	54	16
Settlements		(2)	(1)	(15)	(1)
Transfers into Level 3		14	12	14	12
Transfers out of Level 3		(49)	(15)	(90)	(25)
Balance, at the end of the period		33	178	33	178
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at end of period		(1)		(1)	(1)
Asset backed securities [Member] | Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period					21
Common stocks [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		8		1
Transfers into Level 3				8
Transfers out of Level 3		(8)		(9)
Balance, at the end of the period		0		0
Total available-for-sale securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		1,732	1,765	1,648	1,808
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[1]		(1)		(3)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		4	12	5	24
Purchases		13	29	256	39
Settlements		(36)	(112)	(90)	(161)
Transfers into Level 3		14	12	22	12
Transfers out of Level 3		(189)	(24)	(303)	(59)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,538	1,681	1,538	1,681
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at end of period	[1]	$ (1)	0	$ (1)	(2)
Total available-for-sale securities [Member] | Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period					21
Other derivative contracts [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis [Rollforward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			0		0
Purchases			2		2
Balance, at the end of the period			$ 2		$ 2

[1] Included in net investment income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.