Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Fair Vaues of Assets and Liabilities (Recurring) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		$ 623		$ 425
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Individual contracts in a liability position	[1],[2]	3,895		4,262
Individual contracts in an asset position	[3]	3,563		3,446
Cumulative increase(decrease) in embedded derivatives due to nonperformance		(399)		(498)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Individual contracts in a liability position		443		880
Individual contracts in an asset position		492		266
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		30,927		30,719
Separate account assets measured at NAV		87,368		80,210
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		15,075		16,236
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		6,611		6,918
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		4,374		3,367
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,580		1,549
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		2,463		2,358
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		503		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		314		261
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		7		22
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,172		1,826
Available-for-sale securities		30,927		30,719
Trading securities		44		25
Separate account assets measured at NAV	[4]	87,368		80,210
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		623		425
Other assets		3,563		3,446
Total assets at fair value		124,697		116,651
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		557	[5]	1,083	[6]
Customer deposits		10		8
Other liabilities		3,371		3,195
Total liabilities at fair value		3,938		4,286
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		43		24
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,104		1,778
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		416		989
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Equity derivate dontracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2,423		1,574
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		2,883		2,135
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Credit Risk Contract [Member]
Assets
Other assets				1
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		36		93
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		27		47
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Indexed annuity embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		601		464
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		(49)	[7]	614	[8]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		15,075		16,236
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		6,611		6,918
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		4,374		3,367
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,580		1,549
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		2,463		2,358
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		503		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		314		261
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1		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		147		30
Available-for-sale securities		504		16
Trading securities		10		9
Investments segregated for regulatory purposes		623		425
Other assets		65		56
Total assets at fair value		1,349		536
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		21		10
Total liabilities at fair value		21		10
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		9		3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		1		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Equity derivate dontracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		63		43
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		7		3
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2		13
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
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		503		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,025		1,796
Available-for-sale securities		29,116		29,050
Trading securities		34		16
Other assets		3,498		3,390
Total assets at fair value		34,673		34,252
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Customer deposits		10		8
Other liabilities		3,322		3,172
Total liabilities at fair value		3,337		3,185
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		6		8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,104		1,778
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		415		987
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Equity derivate dontracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		2,360		1,531
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		2,876		2,132
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Credit Risk Contract [Member]
Assets
Other assets				1
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		34		80
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		23		45
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Indexed annuity embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		5		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		13,936		14,925
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		6,456		6,650
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		4,374		3,367
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,573		1,481
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		2,463		2,358
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		314		261
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities				8
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,301		1,648
Total assets at fair value		1,301		1,648
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		552		1,078
Other liabilities		28		13
Total liabilities at fair value		580		1,091
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Other liabilities		28		13
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		601		464
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract]
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		(49)		614
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,139		1,311
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		155		268
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		$ 7		68
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities				$ 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 indexed annuity 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 December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. See Note 15 for additional information related to master netting arrangements and cash collateral. See Note 4 for information about derivatives held by consolidated VIEs.

[3] The fair value of freestanding derivative assets is included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

[4] Amounts are comprised of certain financial instruments 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 $(399) million cumulative increase (decrease) to the embedded derivatives at December 31, 2017.

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

[7] The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $443 million of individual contracts in a liability position and $492 million of individual contracts in an asset position at December 31, 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 at December 31, 2016.