Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Details 3) (Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, 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	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
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2012 GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2011 GMWB and GMAB	Sep. 30, 2012 Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2012 Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2011 Other derivatives	Sep. 30, 2012 Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivatives Interest rate lock commitments Other revenues	Sep. 30, 2012 Interest rate derivatives Bank assets Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 Interest rate derivatives Bank assets Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives EIA Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives EIA Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives EIA Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives EIA embedded derivatives Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Stock market certificates embedded derivatives Banking and deposit interest expense	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Seed money Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Seed money Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Seed money Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Seed money Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan Distribution expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan Distribution expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan Distribution expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Equity derivatives Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan Distribution expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives IUL Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives IUL Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives IUL embedded derivatives Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity derivatives IUL embedded derivatives Interest credited to fixed accounts	Sep. 30, 2011 Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Credit derivative contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Foreign exchange contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Foreign exchange contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Foreign exchange contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 Foreign exchange contract GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2011 Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2011 Foreign exchange contract Foreign currency Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	Dec. 31, 2011 GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives	Sep. 30, 2012 GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2011 GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives GMWB and GMAB Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	Sep. 30, 2012 Commodity derivative contracts Seed money Net investment income	Sep. 30, 2012 Commodity derivative contracts Seed money Net investment income
Summary of the impact of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Recognized in Income	$ (157,000,000)	$ 144,000,000	$ (377,000,000)	$ 47,000,000	$ (156,000,000)	$ 146,000,000	$ (382,000,000)	$ 50,000,000	$ (1,000,000)	$ (2,000,000)	$ 5,000,000	$ (3,000,000)	$ (12,000,000)	$ 582,000,000	$ 91,000,000	$ 644,000,000	$ (1,000,000)	$ (7,000,000)	$ (7,000,000)	$ (402,000,000)	$ 843,000,000	$ (909,000,000)	$ 593,000,000	$ (1,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ (1,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ (4,000,000)	$ 6,000,000	$ (1,000,000)	$ 2,000,000	$ 4,000,000	$ 5,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ (2,000,000)	$ 12,000,000	$ (5,000,000)	$ 9,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ (11,000,000)	$ 3,000,000	$ (11,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ (3,000,000)	$ (2,000,000)	$ (10,000,000)	$ (6,000,000)	$ 8,000,000	$ (5,000,000)	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ (2,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ (1,000,000)			$ 264,000,000	$ (1,284,000,000)	$ 443,000,000	$ (1,179,000,000)	$ (1,000,000)	$ (1,000,000)
Gross notional amount, guaranteed benefit contracts																																																											$ 141,700,000,000	$ 104,700,000,000