Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011 Entities	Dec. 31, 2011 Y CallCentre State Branch Segment ATM	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Commercial Real Estate [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Retained Earnings	Dec. 31, 2010 Retained Earnings		Dec. 31, 2009 Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member] Education Lending [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Loans [Member] Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member]
Additional Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]
Consolidated total assets of the Company			$ 88,785,000,000	$ 91,843,000,000
Number of retail branches			1,058
Number of states in which operated			14
Number of telephone banking call center services group			1
Number of automated teller machines			1,579
Number of States with Automated Teller Machines			15
Number of Business Groups			2
Economic interest in unconsolidated investments in voting rights entities, minimum			20.00%
Economic interest in unconsolidated investments in voting rights entities, maximum			50.00%
Economic interest in unconsolidated investments in voting rights entities, Ownership less than			20.00%
Fair value of principal investments held in private companies			709,000,000	898,000,000
Number of independent entities formed by employees managing principal investments		2
Percentage of principal investment			61.00%	66.00%
Deconsolidated direct and indirect investments	234,000,000
Number of days to designate the loan as nonaccrual for commercial loan payment due period			90 days
Number of days to designate the loan as nonaccrual for consumer payment due period			120 days
Maximum level for the impaired loan's outstanding balance leading to a further analysis to determine the probable loss content and assign a specific allowance to the loan			2,500,000
Number of days to designate commercial loans will be charged off in full or charged down to the fair value of the underlying collateral payment due period			180 days
Number of days to designate the charge-off policy for most consumer loans taking effect, payment due period			120 days
Number of days to designate home equity and residential mortgage loans to get charged down to the fair value of the underlying collateral payment due period			180 days
Liability for credit losses on lending related commitments			45,000,000	73,000,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortization on premises and equipment, total			1,100,000,000	1,000,000,000
Intangible assets useful life, minimum			10
Intangible assets useful life, maximum			30
Internally Developed Software			54,000,000	52,000,000
Capitalized Computer Software Amortization Maximum Period Allowable			5 years
Minimum percentage for an input to be significant of the total fair value of a particular asset or liability			10.00%
Compensation cost for stock-based accelerated method of amortization in period			4
Vesting period for the compensation cost for stock-based			3 years
Rate at which employee stock options to be exercisable			33.33%
Rate at which employee stock options granted to be exercisable			25.00%
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]
Addition in consolidated assets due to the adoption of new accounting guidance for education loan securitization trusts										2,800,000,000	2,600,000,000
Addition in consolidated liabilities due to the adoption of new accounting guidance for education loan securitization trusts										2,800,000,000
Cumulative effect adjustment to beginning balance of Retained Earnings							45,000,000	45,000,000	[1]
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value at end of year			$ 245,000,000	$ 284,000,000	$ 173,000,000	$ 196,000,000

[1] The $45 million cumulative effect adjustment on January 1, 2010 was erroneously shown as a component of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and has been removed for financial reporting presentation. Therefore, Total Comprehensive Income (Loss) was previously shown as $572 million and now has been reflected at $527 million for financial reporting presentation purposes.