Revenue from Contracts with Customers Revenue from Contract with Customer (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		$ 2,308	$ 2,091
Revenue from other sources	[1]	1,238	1,196
Total segment gross revenues		3,546	3,287
Less: Banking and deposit interest expense		17	10
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		3,529	3,277
Total net revenues		3,168	2,926
Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		361	351
Total management and financial advice fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		1,503	1,330
Asset management fees - Retail [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		480	440
Asset management fees - Institutional [Member] [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		111	101
Advisory fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		691	570
Financial planning fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		68	64
Transaction and other fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		153	155
Total Distribution Fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		763	723
Mutual funds [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		259	288
Insurance and annuity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		359	326
Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		145	109
Other revenues [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		42	38
Total Segment [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		2,308	2,091
Revenue from other sources	[1]	1,177	1,151
Total segment gross revenues		3,485	3,242
Less: Banking and deposit interest expense		17	10
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		3,468	3,232
Eliminations	[2]	357	347
Total net revenues		3,111	2,885
Total Segment [Member] | Total management and financial advice fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		1,503	1,330
Total Segment [Member] | Asset management fees - Retail [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		480	440
Total Segment [Member] | Asset management fees - Institutional [Member] [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		111	101
Total Segment [Member] | Advisory fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		691	570
Total Segment [Member] | Financial planning fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		68	64
Total Segment [Member] | Transaction and other fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		153	155
Total Segment [Member] | Total Distribution Fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		763	723
Total Segment [Member] | Mutual funds [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		259	288
Total Segment [Member] | Insurance and annuity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		359	326
Total Segment [Member] | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		145	109
Total Segment [Member] | Other revenues [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		42	38
Advice and Wealth Management [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		1,446	1,276
Revenue from other sources	[1]	71	55
Total segment gross revenues		1,517	1,331
Less: Banking and deposit interest expense		16	10
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		1,501	1,321
Total net revenues		1,261	1,084
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		240	237
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Total management and financial advice fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		848	723
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Advisory fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		691	570
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Financial planning fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		68	64
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Transaction and other fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		89	89
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Total Distribution Fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		557	516
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Mutual funds [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		190	208
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Insurance and annuity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		222	199
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		145	109
Advice and Wealth Management [Member] | Other revenues [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		41	37
Asset Management [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		754	714
Revenue from other sources	[1]	24	11
Total segment gross revenues		778	725
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		778	725
Total net revenues		766	714
Asset Management [Member] | Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		12	11
Asset Management [Member] | Total management and financial advice fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		639	592
Asset Management [Member] | Asset management fees - Retail [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		480	440
Asset Management [Member] | Asset management fees - Institutional [Member] [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		111	101
Asset Management [Member] | Transaction and other fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		48	51
Asset Management [Member] | Total Distribution Fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		114	121
Asset Management [Member] | Mutual funds [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		69	80
Asset Management [Member] | Insurance and annuity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		45	41
Asset Management [Member] | Other revenues [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		1	1
Annuities [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		98	91
Revenue from other sources	[1]	515	517
Total segment gross revenues		613	608
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		613	608
Total net revenues		523	524
Annuities [Member] | Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		90	84
Annuities [Member] | Total management and financial advice fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		14	13
Annuities [Member] | Transaction and other fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		14	13
Annuities [Member] | Total Distribution Fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		84	78
Annuities [Member] | Insurance and annuity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		84	78
Protection [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		10	10
Revenue from other sources	[1]	509	511
Total segment gross revenues		519	521
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		519	521
Total net revenues		503	506
Protection [Member] | Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		16	15
Protection [Member] | Total management and financial advice fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		2	2
Protection [Member] | Transaction and other fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		2	2
Protection [Member] | Total Distribution Fees [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		8	8
Protection [Member] | Insurance and annuity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		8	8
Corporate and Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		0	0
Revenue from other sources	[1]	58	57
Total segment gross revenues		58	57
Less: Banking and deposit interest expense		1
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		57	57
Total net revenues		58	57
Corporate and Other [Member] | Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		(1)
Non-operating Revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		0	0
Revenue from other sources	[1]	61	45
Total segment gross revenues		61	45
Total segment net revenues before eliminations		61	45
Total net revenues		57	41
Non-operating Revenue [Member] | Intersegment revenues, eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Eliminations		$ 4	$ 4

[1] Revenues not included in the scope of the revenue from contracts with customers standard. The amounts primarily consist of revenue associated with the manufacturing of insurance and annuity products or financial instruments.

[2] Represents the elimination of intersegment revenues recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 in each segment as follows: Advice & Wealth Management ($240 million and $237 million, respectively); Asset Management ($12 million and $11 million, respectively); Annuities ($90 million and $84 million, respectively); Protection ($16 million and $15 million, respectively); and Corporate & Other ($(1) million and nil, respectively).