Future Policy Benefits and Claims and Separate Account Liabilities (Details 2) (Ameriprise Financial, USD $) In Millions	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Ameriprise Financial
Separate Account Liabilities
Variable annuity variable sub-accounts	$ 60,542	$ 57,862
VUL insurance variable sub-accounts	6,096	5,887
Other insurance variable sub-accounts	45	46
Threadneedle investment liabilities	4,080	4,535
Total	$ 70,763	$ 68,330

Name:	amp_SeparateAccountLiabilitiesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	amp
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The equivalent summary total of separate account assets representing contract holder funds related to investment funds managed by the entity.

+ Details

Name:	amp_SeparateAccountsLiabilityInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	amp
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equivalent summary total of separate account assets representing contract holder funds related to other insurance policies, not otherwise described in the taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	amp_SeparateAccountsLiabilityOtherInsurance
Namespace Prefix:	amp
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equivalent summary total of separate account assets representing contract holder funds related to variable annuity policies.

+ Details

Name:	amp_SeparateAccountsLiabilityVariableAnnuity
Namespace Prefix:	amp
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equivalent summary total of separate account assets representing contract holder funds related to variable universal life insurance policies.

+ Details

Name:	amp_SeparateAccountsLiabilityVariableUniversalLifeInsurance
Namespace Prefix:	amp
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equivalent summary total of separate account assets representing contract holder funds that are carried at fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Statement of Position (SOP)
-Number 03-1
-Section Summary

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 18
-Article 7

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 60
-Paragraph 53, 54

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Statement of Position (SOP)
-Number 03-1
-Paragraph 10-18

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Statement of Position (SOP)
-Number 03-1
-Paragraph 19-23, 38

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SeparateAccountsLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant