Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Recurring) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		$ 424		$ 425
Liabilities
Individual contracts in a liability position	[1],[2]	3,751		4,262
Individual contracts in an asset position	[3]	3,190		3,446
Cumulative increase (decrease) in embedded derivatives due to nonperformance		(376)		(498)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Individual contracts in a liability position		494		880
Individual contracts in an asset position		449		266
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		30,826		30,719
Separate account assets measured at NAV		85,287		80,210
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		15,650		16,236
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,790		6,918
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3,952		3,367
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,646		1,549
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,455		2,358
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		308		261
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		19		22
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,018		1,826
Available-for-Sale securities		30,826		30,719
Trading securities		163		25
Separate account assets measured at NAV	[4]	85,287		80,210
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		424		425
Other assets		3,190		3,446
Total assets at fair value		121,908		116,651
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		626	[5]	1,083	[6]
Customer deposits		9		8
Other liabilities		3,155		3,195
Total liabilities at fair value		3,790		4,286
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		39		24
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,201		1,778
Liabilities
Other liabilities		416		989
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,942		1,574
Liabilities
Other liabilities		2,669		2,135
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		4		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		43		93
Liabilities
Other liabilities		31		47
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		4		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		577		464
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		45	[7]	614	[8]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		15,650		16,236
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,790		6,918
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3,952		3,367
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,646		1,549
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,455		2,358
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		308		261
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		13		17
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Common stocks measured at NAV [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities	[4]	6		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		136		30
Available-for-Sale securities		10		16
Trading securities		131		9
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		424		425
Other assets		53		56
Total assets at fair value		754		536
Liabilities
Other liabilities		15		10
Total liabilities at fair value		15		10
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		6		3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1
Liabilities
Other liabilities				2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		51		43
Liabilities
Other liabilities		5		3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1		13
Liabilities
Other liabilities		4		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		4		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		1,882		1,796
Available-for-Sale securities		29,277		29,050
Trading securities		32		16
Other assets		3,137		3,390
Total assets at fair value		34,328		34,252
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		4		5
Customer deposits		9		8
Other liabilities		3,113		3,172
Total liabilities at fair value		3,126		3,185
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		6		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,200		1,778
Liabilities
Other liabilities		416		987
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Equity derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,891		1,531
Liabilities
Other liabilities		2,664		2,132
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Credit derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		4		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		42		80
Liabilities
Other liabilities		27		45
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | EIA embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		4		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		14,383		14,925
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		6,625		6,650
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		3,887		3,367
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,611		1,481
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		2,455		2,358
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		308		261
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		1,533		1,648
Total assets at fair value		1,533		1,648
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		622		1,078
Other liabilities		27		13
Total liabilities at fair value		649		1,091
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		27		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		577		464
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		45		614
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		1,267		1,311
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		165		268
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		65
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		35		68
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-Sale securities		$ 1		$ 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 $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. See Note 11 for additional information related to master netting arrangements and cash collateral.

[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.

[5] The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $(376) million cumulative increase (decrease) to the embedded derivatives as of September 30, 2017.

[6] The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $(498) million cumulative increase (decrease) to the embedded derivatives as of December 31, 2016.

[7] The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $494 million of individual contracts in a liability position and $449 million of individual contracts in an asset position as of September 30, 2017.

[8] 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 as of December 31, 2016.