Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Total Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	Common Shares	Additional Paid-In Capital	Retained Earnings	Appropriated Retained Earnings of Consolidated Investment Entities	Treasury Shares	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interests	Comprehensive Income
Balances at Dec. 31, 2009 (Previously reported)		$ 9,269	$ 3	$ 5,748	$ 5,276		$ (2,023)	$ 265	$ 603
Balances at Dec. 31, 2009	8,600	9,269	3	5,748	5,276		(2,023)	265	603
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009 (Previously reported)			255,095,491
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009			255,095,491
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Balances, as adjusted	8,600	7,997	3	5,748	3,964		(2,023)	305	603
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies, net of tax	(1,272)
Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies, net of tax (Adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2010-26 Financial Services-Insurance (Topic 944))	(1,272)	(1,272)			(1,312)			40
Balances at Jan. 02, 2010
Balances at Dec. 31, 2009 (Previously reported)	9,872	9,269	3	5,748	5,276		(2,023)	265	603
Balances at Dec. 31, 2009	8,600	9,269	3	5,748	5,276		(2,023)	265	603
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009 (Previously reported)			255,095,491
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009			255,095,491
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Change in accounting principles, net of tax (Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities)	473	473				473
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net income (loss)	1,152	989			989				163	1,152
Net income (loss) at Jan. 01, 2010 (Previously reported)	1,260
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	318	345						345	(27)	318
Total comprehensive income (loss)	1,470	1,334							136	1,470
Net income (loss) reclassified to appropriated retained earnings		85				85			(85)
Dividends to shareholders	(183)	(183)			(183)
Noncontrolling interests investments in subsidiaries	77								77
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(171)								(171)
Repurchase of common shares	(597)	(597)					(597)
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)			(13,924,062)
Share-based compensation plans	281	281		281
Share-based compensation plans (in shares)			5,526,463
Balances at Dec. 31, 2010 (Previously reported)	11,285
Balances at Dec. 31, 2010	9,950	9,390	3	6,029	4,770	558	(2,620)	650	560
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010			246,697,892
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net income (loss)	1,010	1,116			1,116				(106)	1,010
Net income (loss) at Jan. 01, 2011 (Previously reported)	970
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	93	101						101	(8)	93
Total comprehensive income (loss)	1,103	1,217							(114)	1,103
Net income (loss) reclassified to appropriated retained earnings		(130)				(130)			130
Dividends to shareholders	(274)	(274)			(274)
Noncontrolling interests investments in subsidiaries	155								155
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(54)								(54)
Repurchase of common shares	(1,495)	(1,495)					(1,495)
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)			(28,812,873)
Share-based compensation plans	309	280		208	(9)		81		29
Share-based compensation plans (in shares)			4,057,964
Balances at Dec. 31, 2011 (Previously reported)	10,961
Balances at Dec. 31, 2011	9,694	8,988	3	6,237	5,603	428	(4,034)	751	706
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011			221,942,983
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net income (loss)	901	1,029			1,029				(128)	901
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	472	443						443	29	472
Total comprehensive income (loss)	1,373	1,472							(99)	1,373
Net income (loss) reclassified to appropriated retained earnings		(84)				(84)			84
Dividends to shareholders	(251)	(251)			(251)
Noncontrolling interests investments in subsidiaries	125								125
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(207)								(207)
Repurchase of common shares	(1,380)	(1,380)					(1,380)
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)			(25,441,707)
Share-based compensation plans	366	355		266			89		11
Share-based compensation plans (in shares)			7,441,718
Other	(8)	(8)				(8)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 9,712	$ 9,092	$ 3	$ 6,503	$ 6,381	$ 336	$ (5,325)	$ 1,194	$ 620
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			203,942,994