Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Level 3 rollforwards-Assets) (Details 2) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 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		1,333	1,350	1,311		1,425
Total gains (losses) included in net income						(2)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		(1)	(2)	1		29
Purchases		39	20	109		34
Settlements		(104)	(26)	(154)		(144)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,267	1,342	1,267		1,342
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		172	153	268		218
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		1	1	2
Purchases			144	132		144
Settlements		(9)	(14)	(34)		(53)
Transfers into Level 3		20		20
Transfers out of Level 3		(19)	1	(223)		(24)
Balance, at the end of the period		165	285	165		285
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		0	0	0		3
Purchases		65	33	65		42
Settlements						(3)
Transfers out of Level 3						(9)
Balance, at the end of the period		65	33	65		33
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		33	178	68		162
Total gains (losses) included in net income			1
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		(2)	1			(5)
Purchases		10	12	64		28
Settlements				(15)		(1)
Transfers into Level 3		13		27		12
Transfers out of Level 3		(19)	(27)	(109)		(52)
Balance, at the end of the period		35	165	35		165
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at end of period				(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		0		1
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		1		1
Transfers into Level 3				8
Transfers out of Level 3				(9)
Balance, at the end of the period		1		1
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		1,538	1,681	1,648		1,808
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[1]		1			(2)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income		(1)	0	4		24
Purchases		114	209	370		248
Settlements		(113)	(40)	(203)		(201)
Transfers into Level 3		33		55		12
Transfers out of Level 3		(38)	(26)	(341)		(85)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,533	1,825	1,533		1,825
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at end of period		$ 0	0	$ (1)	[1]	(1)	[1]
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			2			0
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[2]		(2)			(2)
Purchases						2
Balance, at the end of the period			0			0
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at end of period	[2]		$ (2)			$ (2)

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

[2] Included in benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.