AOCI Rollforward (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ 299	$ 638	$ 200	$ 253
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						$ (1,318)
OCI before reclassifications		15	(40)	133	334
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(2)	(3)	(21)	2
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		13	(43)	112	336
Ending balance		312	595	312	595
Noncredit related impairments on securities and net unrealized securities gains (losses) on previously impaired securities		8	5	8	5
Net unrealized securities gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		543	842	479	426
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies						6
OCI before reclassifications		(1)	(24)	88	389
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(3)	(4)	(28)	(7)
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		(4)	(28)	60	382
Ending balance	[1]	539	814	539	814
Net unrealized derivatives gains [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		6	3	5	1
OCI before reclassifications		0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		1	1	2	3
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		1	1	2	3
Ending balance		7	4	7	4
Defined benefit plans [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(120)	(85)	(125)	(91)
OCI before reclassifications		0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	0	5	6
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		0	0	5	6
Ending balance		(120)	(85)	(120)	(85)
Foreign currency translation [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(129)	(122)	(159)	(83)
OCI before reclassifications		16	(16)	46	(55)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income attributable to Ameriprise Financial, net of tax		16	(16)	46	(55)
Ending balance		(113)	$ (138)	(113)	(138)
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 $8 million and $5 million of noncredit related impairments on securities and net unrealized securities gains (losses) on previously impaired securities as of September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, respectively.