Shareholders' Equity Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2016
Net unrealized securities gains, before tax [Abstract]
Net unrealized securities gains arising during the period, before tax	[1]	$ 191		$ 559		$ 244		$ 1,052
Reclassification of net securities gains included in net income, before tax	[2]	(21)		(5)		(39)		(4)
Impact of DAC, DSIC, unearned revenue, benefit reserves and reinsurance recoverables, before tax		(81)		(222)		(107)		(419)
Net unrealized securities gains, before tax		89		332		98		629
Net unrealized derivatives gains, before tax [Abstract]
Reclassification of net derivative losses included in net income, before tax		0	[3]	2	[3]	2	[4]	3	[4]
Net unrealized derivatives gains, before tax		0		2		2		3
Defined benefit plans net gain arising during the period, before tax		0		9		7		9
Defined benefit plans, before tax		0		9		7		9
Foreign currency translation, before tax		35		(42)		46		(59)
Other, before tax						(1)		0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, before tax		124		301		152		582
Net unrealized securities gains (losses), tax impact [Abstract]
Net unrealized securities gains arising during the period, tax impact	[1]	(68)		(194)		(85)		(367)
Reclassification of net securities gains included in net income, tax impact	[2]	8		1		14		1
Impact of DAC, DSIC, unearned revenue, benefit reserves and reinsurance recoverables, tax impact		28		78		37		147
Net unrealized securities gains, tax impact		(32)		(115)		(34)		(219)
Net unrealized derivatives losses, tax impact [Abstract]
Reclassification of net derivative losses included in net income, tax impact		0	[3]	(1)	[3]	(1)	[4]	(1)	[4]
Net unrealized derivatives gains, tax impact		0		(1)		(1)		(1)
Defined benefit plans net gain arising during the period, tax impact		0		(3)		(2)		(3)
Defined benefit plans, tax impact		0		(3)		(2)		(3)
Foreign currency translation, tax impact		(12)		14		(16)		20
Other, tax impact						0		0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, tax impact		(44)		(105)		(53)		(203)
Net unrealized securities gains (losses), net of tax [Abstract]
Net unrealized securities gains arising during the period, net of tax	[1]	123		365		159		685
Reclassification of net securities gains included in net income, net of tax	[2]	(13)		(4)		(25)		(3)
Impact of DAC, DSIC, unearned revenue, benefit reserves and reinsurance recoverables, net of tax		(53)		(144)		(70)		(272)
Net unrealized securities gains, net of tax		57		217		64		410
Net unrealized derivatives losses, net of tax [Abstract]
Reclassification of net derivative losses included in net income, net of tax		0	[3]	1	[3]	1	[4]	2	[4]
Net unrealized derivatives gains, net of tax		0		1		1		2
Defined benefit plans net gain arising during the period, net of tax		0		6		5		6
Defined benefit plans, net of tax		0		6		5		6
Foreign currency translation, net of tax		23		(28)		30		(39)
Other, net of tax		0		0		(1)		0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		80		196		99		379
Interest and debt expense [Member]
Net unrealized derivatives gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI into income, effective portion, net		1		1		1		1
Net investment income [Member]
Net unrealized derivatives gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI into income, effective portion, net		$ 1		$ 2		$ 2		$ 3

[1] Includes other-than-temporary impairment losses on Available-for-Sale securities related to factors other than credit that were recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) during the period.

[2] Reclassification amounts are recorded in net investment income.

[3] Includes $1 million pretax gain reclassified to interest and debt expense for both the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, and a $1 million and $2 million pretax loss reclassified to net investment income for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[4] Includes $1 million pretax gain reclassified to interest and debt expense for both the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, and a $2 million and $3 million pretax loss reclassified to net investment income for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.