Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net investment income	$ 489,000,000	$ 531,000,000
Interest and debt expense	66,000,000	69,000,000
Net of tax	335,000,000	244,000,000
Net unrealized securities gains	64,000,000	(3,000,000)
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)	5.2	5.4
Repurchase of common shares	360,000,000	300,000,000
Remaining Balance under Stock Repurchase Program	1,800,000,000
Number of shares reacquired through surrender of restricted shares	0.4	0.3
Value of shares reacquired through surrender of restricted shares	24,000,000	16,000,000
Number of shares reacquired through net settlement of options	1.3
Aggregate value of shares reacquired through net settlement of options	87,000,000
Net settlement of stock options related to strike price	56,000,000
Value of shares reacquired through net settlement of options	31,000,000
Treasury shares reissued for restricted stock award grants and Ameriprise Financial Franchise Advisor Deferred Compensation Plan (in shares)	1.9	1.8
Net unrealized gains on Available-for-Sale securities
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net unrealized securities gains	64,000,000
Net unrealized gains on Available-for-Sale securities | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net investment income	(1,000,000)
Net of tax	(1,000,000)
Gain (losses) on cash flow hedge | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Interest rate derivatives contracts
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Interest and debt expense	1,000,000
Gain (losses) on cash flow hedge | Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Interest rate swaptions
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
Net investment income	$ (1,000,000)