Basis of Presentation (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Basis of Presentation
Pretax benefit resulted from an adjustment to valuation of reserves, net of DAC and DSIC amortization	$ 41
Decrease to tax expense resulting from out-of-period correction for deferred tax balance	16
Increase to tax expense resulting from out-of-period correction for tax item related to securities lending activities			32
DSIC amortization expense	11
Decrease to tax expense resulting from out-of-period correction for tax return errors	16
Revenues
Total net revenues	2,674	2,468	2,514	2,561	2,582	2,455	2,623	2,532	10,217	10,192	9,512
Expenses
Distribution expenses									2,698	2,559	2,135
Interest credited to fixed accounts									831	856	909
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses									1,846	1,557	1,750
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs									286	397	114
Interest and debt expense									276	317	290
General and administrative expense									3,042	3,059	2,845
Total expenses									8,979	8,745	8,043
Income from continuing operations before income tax provision	418	199	299	322	326	326	409	386	1,238	1,447	1,469
Income tax provision									335	377	293
Income from continuing operations	331	152	171	249	268	217	291	294	903	1,070	1,176
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	1	(1)	(1)	(1)	13	2	(4)	(71)	(2)	(60)	(24)
Net income	332	151	170	248	281	219	287	223	901	1,010	1,152
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(57)	(22)	(53)	4	45	(105)	(28)	(18)	(128)	(106)	163
Net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial	389	173	223	244	236	324	315	241	1,029	1,116	989
Basic
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.84	$ 0.81	$ 1.01	$ 1.08	$ 0.97	$ 1.35	$ 1.30	$ 1.24	$ 4.71	$ 4.87	$ 3.94
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ (0.01)		$ (0.01)	$ 0.06	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.25)	$ (0.10)
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 1.85	$ 0.80	$ 1.01	$ 1.07	$ 1.03	$ 1.36	$ 1.28	$ 0.96	$ 4.70	$ 4.62	$ 3.84
Diluted
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.80	$ 0.79	$ 0.99	$ 1.06	$ 0.95	$ 1.33	$ 1.27	$ 1.21	$ 4.63	$ 4.77	$ 3.86
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01			$ (0.01)	$ 0.06	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ (0.27)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.24)	$ (0.09)
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 1.81	$ 0.79	$ 0.99	$ 1.05	$ 1.01	$ 1.34	$ 1.25	$ 0.94	$ 4.62	$ 4.53	$ 3.77
Assets
Deferred acquisition costs	2,399				2,440				2,399	2,440
Other assets	7,667				7,751				7,667	7,751
Total assets	134,729				132,307				134,729	132,307
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits and claims	31,217				31,710				31,217	31,710
Other liabilities	5,467				5,033				5,467	5,033
Total liabilities	125,017				122,613				125,017	122,613
Equity:
Retained earnings	6,381				5,603				6,381	5,603	4,770	3,964
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax	1,194				751				1,194	751	650	305
Total equity	9,712				9,694				9,712	9,694	9,950	8,600
Total liabilities and equity	134,729				132,307				134,729	132,307
Previously reported
Revenues
Total net revenues										10,192	9,512
Expenses
Distribution expenses										2,497	2,065
Interest credited to fixed accounts										853	909
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses										1,557	1,750
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs										618	127
Interest and debt expense										317	290
General and administrative expense										2,965	2,737
Total expenses										8,807	7,878
Income from continuing operations before income tax provision										1,385	1,634
Income tax provision										355	350
Income from continuing operations										1,030	1,284
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax										(60)	(24)
Net income										970	1,260
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests										(106)	163
Net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial										1,076	1,097
Basic
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)										$ 4.71	$ 4.36
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)										$ (0.25)	$ (0.10)
Net income (in dollars per share)										$ 4.46	$ 4.26
Diluted
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)										$ 4.61	$ 4.27
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)										$ (0.24)	$ (0.09)
Net income (in dollars per share)										$ 4.37	$ 4.18
Assets
Deferred acquisition costs					4,402					4,402
Other assets					7,468					7,468
Total assets					133,986					133,986
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits and claims					31,723					31,723
Other liabilities					5,432					5,432
Total liabilities					123,025					123,025
Equity:
Retained earnings					6,983					6,983	6,190	5,276
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax					638					638	565	265
Total equity					10,961					10,961	11,285	9,872
Total liabilities and equity					133,986					133,986
Effect of Change | Adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2010-26 Financial Services-Insurance (Topic 944)
Expenses
Distribution expenses										62	70
Interest credited to fixed accounts										3
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs										(221)	(13)
General and administrative expense										94	108
Total expenses										(62)	165
Income from continuing operations before income tax provision										62	(165)
Income tax provision										22	(57)
Income from continuing operations										40	(108)
Net income										40	(108)
Net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial										40	(108)
Basic
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)										$ 0.16	$ (0.42)
Net income (in dollars per share)										$ 0.16	$ (0.42)
Diluted
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)										$ 0.16	$ (0.41)
Net income (in dollars per share)										$ 0.16	$ (0.41)
Assets
Deferred acquisition costs					(1,962)					(1,962)
Other assets					283					283
Total assets					(1,679)					(1,679)
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits and claims					(13)					(13)
Other liabilities					(399)					(399)
Total liabilities					(412)					(412)
Equity:
Retained earnings					(1,380)					(1,380)	(1,420)	(1,312)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax					113					113	85	40
Total equity					(1,267)					(1,267)	(1,335)	(1,272)
Total liabilities and equity					$ (1,679)					$ (1,679)