Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Interest rate derivatives Interest rate lock commitments	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives GMDB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives EIA	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives EIA	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives EIA	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives EIA	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Seed money	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Seed money	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Seed money	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Equity Plan	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Equity derivatives Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Equity Plan	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange contract Seed money	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	Dec. 31, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Other derivatives
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Derivative not designated as hedging instrument					$ 144,000,000	$ (307,000,000)	$ 47,000,000	$ (321,000,000)																																																$ 146,000,000	$ (301,000,000)	$ 50,000,000	$ (330,000,000)	$ (2,000,000)	$ (6,000,000)	$ (3,000,000)	$ 9,000,000
Gross notional amount, guaranteed benefit contracts																																																		8,400,000,000	55,500,000,000
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	257,000,000	636,000,000	1,045,000,000	1,285,000,000					582,000,000	141,000,000	644,000,000	352,000,000		843,000,000	(354,000,000)	593,000,000	220,000,000	(5,000,000)																					(3,000,000)	(18,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(48,000,000)	8,000,000	2,000,000								(1,284,000,000)	(70,000,000)	(1,179,000,000)	(854,000,000)
Other revenues	195,000,000	176,000,000	635,000,000	657,000,000									(1,000,000)
Interest credited to fixed accounts	213,000,000	227,000,000	632,000,000	686,000,000															(1,000,000)	1,000,000	(1,000,000)	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	7,000,000
Banking and deposit interest expense	12,000,000	15,000,000	36,000,000	56,000,000																						(4,000,000)	6,000,000	(1,000,000)	4,000,000	4,000,000	(6,000,000)	2,000,000	(4,000,000)
Net investment income	445,000,000	525,000,000	1,458,000,000	1,769,000,000																														12,000,000	(3,000,000)	9,000,000									(2,000,000)	1,000,000	(1,000,000)	1,000,000
General and administrative expense	725,000,000	678,000,000	2,221,000,000	1,979,000,000																																													(1,000,000)
Distribution expenses	$ 389,000,000	$ 349,000,000	$ 1,202,000,000	$ 1,062,000,000																																	$ (11,000,000)	$ (11,000,000)