AOCI Rollforward (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ 219	$ 442	$ 200	$ 253
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						$ (1,318)
OCI before reclassifications		93	193	118	374
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(13)	3	(19)	5
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		80	196	99	379
Ending balance		299	638	299	638
Noncredit related impairments on securities and net unrealized securities gains (losses) on previously impaired securities		4	1	4	1
Net unrealized securities gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		486	625	479	426
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						6
OCI before reclassifications		70	221	89	413
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(13)	(4)	(25)	(3)
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		57	217	64	410
Ending balance	[1]	543	842	543	842
Net unrealized derivatives gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		6	2	5	1
OCI before reclassifications		0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	1	1	2
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		0	1	1	2
Ending balance		6	3	6	3
Defined benefit plans [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(120)	(91)	(125)	(91)
OCI before reclassifications		0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	6	5	6
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		0	6	5	6
Ending balance		(120)	(85)	(120)	(85)
Foreign currency translation [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(152)	(94)	(159)	(83)
OCI before reclassifications		23	(28)	30	(39)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		23	(28)	30	(39)
Ending balance		(129)	$ (122)	(129)	(122)
Other [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(1)		0
OCI before reclassifications		0		(1)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0		0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		0		(1)
Ending balance	[1]	$ (1)		$ (1)
AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						$ 6
Balance adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance					259
Balance adjusted for change in accounting policies [Member] | Net unrealized securities gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance					$ 432

[1] Includes $4 million and $1 million of noncredit related impairments on securities and net unrealized securities gains (losses) on previously impaired securities as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, respectively.