Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Liabilities:
Cumulative decrease to the embedded derivative liability	$ 342	$ 506
Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	34,805	34,505
Separate account assets	71,635	66,780
Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	195
Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	17
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	840
Recurring | Level 1 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Cash equivalents	18	20
Total Available-for-Sale securities	23	24
Total trading securities	1	1
Total other assets	312	274
Total assets at fair value	354	319
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	311	300
Total liabilities at fair value	311	300
Recurring | Level 1 | U.S. government and agencies obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	21	22
Recurring | Level 1 | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2	2
Recurring | Level 1 | Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	312	274
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	309	297
Recurring | Level 1 | Foreign exchange contract | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	2	3
Recurring | Level 2 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Cash equivalents	1,855	2,287
Total Available-for-Sale securities	32,833	32,667
Total trading securities	40	30
Separate account assets	71,635	66,780
Total other assets	2,468	3,045
Total assets at fair value	109,098	105,102
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	11	5
Customer deposits	10	6
Total other liabilities	2,462	1,985
Total liabilities at fair value	2,483	1,996
Recurring | Level 2 | Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	16,971	16,685
Recurring | Level 2 | Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	7,134	7,198
Recurring | Level 2 | Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	4,495	4,669
Recurring | Level 2 | Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	1,848	1,779
Recurring | Level 2 | State and municipal obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2,113	2,130
Recurring | Level 2 | U.S. government and agencies obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	47	49
Recurring | Level 2 | Foreign government bonds and obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	205	144
Recurring | Level 2 | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	3	2
Recurring | Level 2 | Other debt obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	17	11
Recurring | Level 2 | Investments segregated for regulatory purposes | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	267	293
Recurring | Level 2 | Interest rate derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1,600	1,958
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,097	1,209
Recurring | Level 2 | Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	860	1,077
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,356	764
Recurring | Level 2 | Credit derivative contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets		1
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1
Recurring | Level 2 | Foreign exchange contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	7	7
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	4	10
Recurring | Level 2 | Commodity derivative contracts | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1	2
Recurring | Level 2 | Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	2	2
Recurring | Level 2 | IUL embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	9	3
Recurring | Level 2 | Other liabilities | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	4	2
Recurring | Level 3 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	1,949	1,814
Total assets at fair value	1,949	1,814
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	840	1,585
Total liabilities at fair value	840	1,585
Recurring | Level 3 | Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	1,422	1,355
Recurring | Level 3 | Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	224	198
Recurring | Level 3 | Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	89	50
Recurring | Level 3 | Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	208	206
Recurring | Level 3 | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	6	5
Recurring | Level 3 | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	840	1,585
Recurring | Total | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Cash equivalents	1,873	2,307
Total Available-for-Sale securities	34,805	34,505
Total trading securities	41	31
Separate account assets	71,635	66,780
Total other assets	2,780	3,319
Total assets at fair value	111,401	107,235
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	851	1,590
Customer deposits	10	6
Total other liabilities	2,773	2,285
Total liabilities at fair value	3,634	3,881
Recurring | Total | Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	18,393	18,040
Recurring | Total | Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	7,358	7,396
Recurring | Total | Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	4,584	4,719
Recurring | Total | Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2,056	1,985
Recurring | Total | State and municipal obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2,113	2,130
Recurring | Total | U.S. government and agencies obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	68	71
Recurring | Total | Foreign government bonds and obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	205	144
Recurring | Total | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	11	9
Recurring | Total | Other debt obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	17	11
Recurring | Total | Investments segregated for regulatory purposes | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	267	293
Recurring | Total | Interest rate derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1,600	1,958
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,097	1,209
Recurring | Total | Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1,172	1,351
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,665	1,061
Recurring | Total | Credit derivative contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets		1
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1
Recurring | Total | Foreign exchange contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	7	7
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	6	13
Recurring | Total | Commodity derivative contracts | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1	2
Recurring | Total | Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	2	2
Recurring | Total | IUL embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	9	3
Recurring | Total | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	840	1,585
Recurring | Total | Other liabilities | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	$ 4	$ 2