Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Fair Vaues of Assets and Liabilities (Recurring) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017
Liabilities
Individual contracts in a liability position	[1],[2]	$ 3,610		$ 3,895
Individual contracts in an asset position	[3]	2,574		3,563
Cumulative increase(decrease) in embedded derivatives due to nonperformance		(726)		(399)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Individual contracts in a liability position		646		443
Individual contracts in an asset position		318		492
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		31,058		30,927
Separate account assets measured at NAV		77,925		87,368
Investments and cash equivalents segregated for regulatory purposes		2,910		3,147
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		14,066		15,075
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		6,329		6,611
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		4,877		4,374
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,398		1,580
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		2,345		2,463
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,745		503
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		298		314
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities				7
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,505		2,172
Available-for-sale securities		31,058		30,927
Equity Securities, FV-NI		1
Equity Securities Measured at NAV	[4]	6
Trading securities		74		44
Separate account assets measured at NAV	[4]	77,925		87,368
Investments and cash equivalents segregated for regulatory purposes		301		623
Other assets		2,574		3,563
Total assets at fair value		114,444		124,697
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		973	[5]	557	[6]
Customer deposits		6		10
Other liabilities		2,680		3,371
Total liabilities at fair value		3,659		3,938
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		49		43
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		796		1,104
Liabilities
Other liabilities		424		416
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Equity derivate dontracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,718		2,423
Liabilities
Other liabilities		2,154		2,883
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Credit Risk Contract [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		18		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		60		36
Liabilities
Other liabilities		35		27
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Indexed annuity embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		17		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		628		601
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		328	[7]	(49)	[8]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		14,066		15,075
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		6,329		6,611
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		4,877		4,374
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,398		1,580
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		2,345		2,463
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,745		503
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		298		314
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities				1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Common stocks measured at NAV [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities	[4]			6
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		155		147
Available-for-sale securities		1,745		504
Trading securities		36		10
Investments and cash equivalents segregated for regulatory purposes		301		623
Other assets		196		65
Total assets at fair value		2,433		1,349
Liabilities
Other liabilities		95		21
Total liabilities at fair value		95		21
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		13		9
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities				1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Equity derivate dontracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		191		63
Liabilities
Other liabilities		78		7
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		5		2
Liabilities
Other liabilities		4		4
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | U.S. government and agencies obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,745		503
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities				1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash equivalents		2,350		2,025
Available-for-sale securities		28,238		29,116
Equity Securities, FV-NI		1
Trading securities		38		34
Other assets		2,378		3,498
Total assets at fair value		33,005		34,673
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		3		5
Customer deposits		6		10
Other liabilities		2,555		3,322
Total liabilities at fair value		2,564		3,337
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		6		6
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest rate derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		796		1,104
Liabilities
Other liabilities		424		415
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Equity derivate dontracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		1,527		2,360
Liabilities
Other liabilities		2,076		2,876
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Credit Risk Contract [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		18		2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign exchange derivative contracts [Member]
Assets
Other assets		55		34
Liabilities
Other liabilities		31		23
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Indexed annuity embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		3		5
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		13,153		13,936
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		6,193		6,456
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		4,857		4,374
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,392		1,573
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | State and municipal obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		2,345		2,463
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		298		314
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		1,075		1,301
Total assets at fair value		1,075		1,301
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		970		552
Other liabilities		30		28
Total liabilities at fair value		1,000		580
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Other liabilities [Member]
Liabilities
Other liabilities		30		28
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Indexed annuity embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		14
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		628		601
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member]
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims		328		(49)
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		913		1,139
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		136		155
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		20
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Recurring basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Assets
Available-for-sale securities		$ 6		$ 7

[1] 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 $1.4 billion and $1.3 billion as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. See Note 16 for additional information related to master netting arrangements and cash collateral. See Note 5 for information about derivatives held by consolidated VIEs.

[2] 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.

[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 $(726) million cumulative increase (decrease) to the embedded derivatives as of December 31, 2018.

[6] The Company’s adjustment for nonperformance risk resulted in a $(399) million cumulative increase (decrease) to the embedded derivatives as of December 31, 2017.

[7] The fair value of the GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives included $646 million of individual contracts in a liability position and $318 million of individual contracts in an asset position as of December 31, 2018.

[8] 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 as of December 31, 2017.