Basis of Presentation (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Decrease to net income resulting from out-of-period correction for tax-related item	$ 32		$ 32
Revenues
Total net revenues	2,514	2,623	5,075	5,155
Expenses
Distribution expenses	663	659	1,329	1,293
Interest credited to fixed accounts	209	212	415	420
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	396	405	888	788
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	99	89	130	164
Interest and debt expense	72	75	141	150
General and administrative expense	776	774	1,551	1,545
Total expenses	2,215	2,214	4,454	4,360
Income from continuing operations before income tax provision	299	409	621	795
Income tax provision	128	118	201	210
Income from continuing operations	171	291	420	585
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1)	(4)	(2)	(75)
Net income	170	287	418	510
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(53)	(28)	(49)	(46)
Net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial	223	315	467	556
Basic
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.01	$ 1.30	$ 2.09	$ 2.54
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.30)
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 1.01	$ 1.28	$ 2.08	$ 2.24
Diluted
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.99	$ 1.27	$ 2.05	$ 2.48
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.30)
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.99	$ 1.25	$ 2.04	$ 2.18
Assets
Deferred acquisition costs	2,431		2,431		2,440
Other assets	8,319		8,319		7,751
Total assets	135,270		135,270		132,307
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits and claims	31,675		31,675		31,710
Other liabilities	5,376		5,376		5,033
Total liabilities	125,657		125,657		122,613
Equity:
Retained earnings	5,990		5,990		5,603	4,770
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax	942		942		751	650
Total equity	9,613	9,910	9,613	9,910	9,694	9,950
Total liabilities and equity	135,270		135,270		132,307
Ameriprise Financial, Inc:
Decrease to net income resulting from out-of-period correction for tax-related item	32
Previously reported
Revenues
Total net revenues		2,623		5,155
Expenses
Distribution expenses		643		1,262
Interest credited to fixed accounts		212		419
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses		406		788
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs		138		254
Interest and debt expense		75		150
General and administrative expense		750		1,496
Total expenses		2,224		4,369
Income from continuing operations before income tax provision		399		786
Income tax provision		114		207
Income from continuing operations		285		579
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		(4)		(75)
Net income		281		504
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		(28)		(46)
Net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial		309		550
Basic
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 1.28		$ 2.51
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.02)		$ (0.30)
Net income (in dollars per share)		$ 1.26		$ 2.21
Diluted
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 1.25		$ 2.46
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.02)		$ (0.30)
Net income (in dollars per share)		$ 1.23		$ 2.16
Assets
Deferred acquisition costs					4,402
Other assets					7,468
Total assets					133,986
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits and claims					31,723
Other liabilities					5,432
Total liabilities					123,025
Equity:
Retained earnings					6,983	6,190
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax					638	565
Total equity					10,961	11,285
Total liabilities and equity					133,986
Effect of Change
Expenses
Distribution expenses		16		31
Interest credited to fixed accounts				1
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses		(1)
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs		(49)		(90)
General and administrative expense		24		49
Total expenses		(10)		(9)
Income from continuing operations before income tax provision		10		9
Income tax provision		4		3
Income from continuing operations		6		6
Net income		6		6
Net income attributable to Ameriprise Financial		6		6
Basic
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.02		$ 0.03
Net income (in dollars per share)		$ 0.02		$ 0.03
Diluted
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.02		$ 0.02
Net income (in dollars per share)		$ 0.02		$ 0.02
Assets
Deferred acquisition costs					(1,962)
Other assets					283
Total assets					(1,679)
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits and claims					(13)
Other liabilities					(399)
Total liabilities					(412)
Equity:
Retained earnings					(1,380)	(1,420)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax					113	85
Total equity					(1,267)	(1,335)
Total liabilities and equity					$ (1,679)