Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Class of Stock [Line Items]

Schedule of Stock by Class [Table Text Block]

Preferred stock authorized, issued and outstanding was as follows at:

	December 31, 2015			December 31, 2014
Series	Shares Authorized	Shares Issued	Shares Outstanding	Shares Authorized	Shares Issued	Shares Outstanding
Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A	27,600,000	24,000,000	24,000,000	27,600,000	24,000,000	24,000,000
6.50% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B (1)	—	—	—	69,000,000	60,000,000	60,000,000
5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series C	1,500,000	1,500,000	1,500,000	—	—	—
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock	10,000,000	—	—	10,000,000	—	—
Not designated (1)	160,900,000	—	—	93,400,000	—	—
Total	200,000,000	25,500,000	25,500,000	200,000,000	84,000,000	84,000,000

__________________

(1) As discussed below, MetLife, Inc. repurchased or redeemed and canceled the 6.50% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B (the “Series B preferred stock”) in 2015. On November 3, 2015, MetLife, Inc. filed a Certificate of Elimination (the “Certificate of Elimination”) of 6.50% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to eliminate all references to the Series B preferred stock in MetLife, Inc.’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), including the related Certificate of Designations. As a result of the filing of the Certificate of Elimination, MetLife, Inc.’s Certificate of Incorporation was amended to eliminate all references therein to the Series B preferred stock, and the shares that were designated to such series were returned to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of MetLife, Inc., without designation as to series.

Schedule of Dividends Paid, Preferred Stock

Information on the declaration, record and payment dates, as well as per share and aggregate dividend amounts, for the Series A, Series B and Series C preferred stock was as follows:

			Dividend
Declaration Date	Record Date	Payment Date	Series A Per Share		Series A Aggregate		Series B Per Share		Series B Aggregate		Series C Per Share		Series C Aggregate
			(In millions, except per share data)
November 16, 2015	November 30, 2015	December 15, 2015	$	0.253	$	6	$	—	$	—	$	28.292	$	43
August 17, 2015	August 31, 2015	September 15, 2015	$	0.256	6		$	—	—		$	—	—
May 15, 2015	May 31, 2015	June 15, 2015	$	0.256	7		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
March 5, 2015	February 28, 2015	March 16, 2015	$	0.250	6		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
					$	25			$	48			$	43
November 17, 2014	November 30, 2014	December 15, 2014	$	0.253	$	7	$	0.406	$	24	$	—	$	—
August 15, 2014	August 31, 2014	September 15, 2014	$	0.256	6		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
May 15, 2014	May 31, 2014	June 16, 2014	$	0.256	7		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
March 5, 2014	February 28, 2014	March 17, 2014	$	0.250	6		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
					$	26			$	96			$	—
November 15, 2013	November 30, 2013	December 16, 2013	$	0.253	$	7	$	0.406	$	24	$	—	$	—
August 15, 2013	August 31, 2013	September 16, 2013	$	0.256	6		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
May 15, 2013	May 31, 2013	June 17, 2013	$	0.256	7		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
March 5, 2013	February 28, 2013	March 15, 2013	$	0.250	6		$	0.406	24		$	—	—
					$	26			$	96			$	—

Schedule of Dividends Paid, Common Stock

The table below presents declaration, record and payment dates, as well as per share and aggregate dividend amounts, for common stock:

			Dividend
Declaration Date	Record Date	Payment Date	Per Share		Aggregate
			(In millions, except per share data)
October 27, 2015	November 6, 2015	December 11, 2015	$	0.375	$	419
July 7, 2015	August 7, 2015	September 11, 2015	$	0.375	420
April 28, 2015	May 11, 2015	June 12, 2015	$	0.375	420
January 6, 2015	February 6, 2015	March 13, 2015	$	0.350	394
					$	1,653
October 28, 2014	November 7, 2014	December 12, 2014	$	0.350	$	398
July 7, 2014	August 8, 2014	September 12, 2014	$	0.350	395
April 22, 2014	May 9, 2014	June 13, 2014	$	0.350	395
January 6, 2014	February 6, 2014	March 13, 2014	$	0.275	311
					$	1,499
October 22, 2013	November 8, 2013	December 13, 2013	$	0.275	$	311
June 25, 2013	August 9, 2013	September 13, 2013	$	0.275	303
April 23, 2013	May 9, 2013	June 13, 2013	$	0.275	302
January 4, 2013	February 6, 2013	March 13, 2013	$	0.185	203
					$	1,119

Components of compensation expense related to stock based compensation

The components of compensation expense related to stock-based compensation includes compensation expense related to Phantom Stock-Based Awards, and excludes the insignificant compensation expense related to the 2015 Director Stock Plan. Those components were:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
	(In millions)
Stock Options and Unit Options	$	14	$	29	$	39
Performance Shares and Units (1)	65		111		91
Restricted Stock Units and Restricted Units	75		52		45
Total compensation expense	$	154	$	192	$	175
Income tax benefit	$	54	$	67	$	61

______________

(1) Performance Shares expected to vest and the related compensation expenses may be further adjusted by the performance factor most likely to be achieved, as estimated by management, at the end of the performance period.

Total unrecognized compensation expense related to stock based compensation and the expected weighted average period over which the expenses will be recognized

The following table presents the total unrecognized compensation expense related to stock-based compensation and the expected weighted average period over which these expenses will be recognized at:

	December 31, 2015
	Expense		Weighted Average Period
	(In millions)		(Years)
Stock Options	$	7	1.58
Performance Shares	$	30	1.59
Restricted Stock Units	$	50	1.71

Activity related to Stock Options

A summary of the activity related to Stock Options was as follows:

	Shares Under Option		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	Aggregate Intrinsic Value (1)
					(Years)	(In millions)
Outstanding at January 1, 2015	26,078,927		$	43.63	4.67	$	312
Granted	669,944		$	51.39
Exercised	(3,149,247	)	$	38.61
Expired	(64,921	)	$	55.68
Forfeited	(27,939	)	$	40.47
Outstanding at December 31, 2015	23,506,764		$	44.50	4.09	$	166
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2015	23,308,860		$	44.50	4.06	$	165
Exercisable at December 31, 2015	21,839,121		$	44.29	3.77	$	161

______________

(1) The aggregate intrinsic value was computed using the closing Share price on December 31, 2015 of $48.21 and December 31, 2014 of $54.09, as applicable.

Weighted average assumptions used to determine the fair value of Stock Options issued

The following table presents the weighted average assumptions, with the exception of risk-free rate, which is expressed as a range, used to determine the fair value of Stock Options issued:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
Dividend yield	2.72%		2.18%		2.13%
Risk-free rate of return	0.20%-3.04%		0.12%-5.07%		0.16%-3.89%
Expected volatility	32.56%		33.26%		32.98%
Exercise multiple	1.44		1.45		1.51
Post-vesting termination rate	2.73%		2.93%		3.16%
Contractual term (years)	10		10		10
Expected life (years)	7		6		7
Weighted average exercise price of stock options granted	$	51.39	$	50.53	$	35.96
Weighted average fair value of stock options granted	$	13.29	$	13.84	$	9.88

Stock Option exercise activity

The following table presents a summary of Stock Option exercise activity:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
	(In millions)
Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised	$	44	$	67	$	79
Cash received from exercise of stock options	$	121	$	156	$	202
Income tax benefit realized from stock options exercised	$	15	$	24	$	28

Performance Share and Restricted Stock Unit Activity

The following table presents a summary of Performance Share and Restricted Stock Unit activity:

	Performance Shares				Restricted Stock Units
	Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Units		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2015	4,511,514		$	44.85	3,504,230		$	38.48
Granted	1,213,901		$	43.53	1,532,272		$	46.71
Forfeited	(61,458	)	$	44.08	(97,496	)	$	42.75
Payable (1)	(1,756,783	)	$	35.33	(1,860,047	)	$	36.73
Outstanding at December 31, 2015	3,907,174		$	44.08	3,078,959		$	43.50
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2015	3,748,479		$	44.09	2,771,063		$	43.50

______________

(1) Includes both Shares paid and Deferred Shares for later payment.

Liability Award Unit Activity

The following table presents a summary of Liability Awards activity:

	Unit Options		Restricted Units		Performance Units
Outstanding at January 1, 2015	1,106,996		800,040		593,923
Granted	17,183		405,747		211,473
Exercised	(107,141	)	—		—
Forfeited	(41,509	)	(209,357	)	(63,062	)
Paid	—		(334,538	)	(131,062	)
Outstanding at December 31, 2015	975,529		661,892		611,272
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2015	877,976		595,703		550,145

Schedules of statutory net income, capital and surplus and reserve strengthening by subsidiary

Statutory capital and surplus was as follows at:

	December 31,
Company	2015		2014
	(In millions)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company	$	14,485	$	12,008
American Life Insurance Company	$	6,115	$	3,362
MetLife Insurance Company USA	$	5,942	$	6,042
Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company	$	2,335	$	2,388
Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Company	$	710	$	767
Other	$	417	$	399

Statutory net income (loss) was as follows:

		Years Ended December 31,
Company	State of Domicile	2015			2014			2013
		(In millions)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company	New York	$	3,703		$	1,487		$	369
American Life Insurance Company	Delaware	$	335		$	(36	)	$	631
MetLife Insurance Company USA	Delaware	$	(1,022	)	$	1,543		$	3,358
Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company	Rhode Island	$	204		$	291		$	282
Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Company	Delaware	$	(42	)	$	51		$	52
Other	Various	$	381		$	454		$	161

Dividend Payment Restrictions

The table below sets forth the dividends permitted to be paid by MetLife, Inc.’s primary insurance subsidiaries without insurance regulatory approval and dividends paid:

	2016		2015		2014
Company	Permitted Without Approval (1)		Paid (2)		Paid (2)
	(In millions)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (3)	$	3,753	$	1,489	$	821	(4)
American Life Insurance Company	$	—	$	—	$	—
MetLife Insurance Company USA	$	586	$	500	$	155	(5)
Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company	$	130	$	235	$	200
Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Company	$	70	$	102	$	73

______________

(1) Reflects dividend amounts that may be paid during 2016 without prior regulatory approval. However, because dividend tests may be based on dividends previously paid over rolling 12-month periods, if paid before a specified date during 2016, some or all of such dividends may require regulatory approval.

(2) Reflects all amounts paid, including those requiring regulatory approval.

(3) As discussed below, the New York Insurance Law was amended, permitting MLIC to pay dividends without prior regulatory approval under one of two alternative formulations beginning in 2016. The dividend amount that MLIC may pay during 2016 under the new formulation is reflected in the table above.

(4) During December 2014, MLIC distributed shares of an affiliate to MetLife, Inc. as an in-kind dividend of $113 million.

(5) Prior to the mergers into MetLife USA of certain of its affiliates and a subsidiary, Exeter paid dividends of $155 million on its preferred stock. In August 2014, MetLife Insurance Company of Connecticut redeemed for $1.4 billion and retired 4,595,317 shares of its common stock owned by MetLife Investors Group LLC (“MLIG”). Following the redemption, in August 2014, MLIG paid a dividend of $1.4 billion to MetLife, Inc. In November 2014, MetLife Insurance Company of Connecticut changed its name to MetLife Insurance Company USA. MetLife USA did not pay dividends in 2014.

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding changes in the balances of each component of AOCI attributable to MetLife, Inc., was as follows:

	Unrealized Investment Gains (Losses), Net of Related Offsets (1)			Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Derivatives			Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment			Total
	(In millions)
Balance at December 31, 2012	$	13,588		$	831		$	(533	)	$	(2,489	)	$	11,397
OCI before reclassifications	(8,487		)	(937		)	(937		)	1,078			(9,283		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	2,807			312			(189		)	(379		)	2,551
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	7,908			206			(1,659		)	(1,790		)	4,665
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	411			36			—			214			661
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(136		)	(11		)	—			(75		)	(222		)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	275			25			—			139			439
Balance at December 31, 2013	8,183			231			(1,659		)	(1,651		)	5,104
OCI before reclassifications	11,197			669			(1,492		)	(1,150		)	9,224
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(3,419		)	(261		)	(208		)	401			(3,487		)
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	15,961			639			(3,359		)	(2,400		)	10,841
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(811		)	717			77			180			163
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	249			(280		)	(27		)	(63		)	(121		)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	(562		)	437			50			117			42
Sale of subsidiary (2)	(320		)	—			6			—			(314		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	80			—			—			—			80
Sale of subsidiary, net of income tax	(240		)	—			6			—			(234		)
Balance at December 31, 2014	15,159			1,076			(3,303		)	(2,283		)	10,649
OCI before reclassifications	(7,218		)	(19		)	(1,646		)	125			(8,758		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	2,519			6			(1		)	(43		)	2,481
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	10,460			1,063			(4,950		)	(2,201		)	4,372
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(223		)	608			—			229			614
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	78			(213		)	—			(80		)	(215		)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	(145		)	395			—			149			399
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	10,315		$	1,458		$	(4,950	)	$	(2,052	)	$	4,771

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(1) See Note 8 for information on offsets to investments related to future policy benefits, DAC, VOBA and DSI, and the policyholder dividend obligation.

(2) See Note 3

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding amounts reclassified out of each component of AOCI was as follows:

AOCI Components	Amounts Reclassified from AOCI									Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) Locations
	Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
	(In millions)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses):
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	$	129		$	603		$	344		Net investment gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	49			67			93			Net investment income
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	45			141			(26		)	Net derivative gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), before income tax	223			811			411
Income tax (expense) benefit	(78		)	(249		)	(136		)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), net of income tax	$	145		$	562		$	275
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives - cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	$	85		$	42		$	20		Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate swaps	12			9			8			Net investment income
Interest rate swaps	—			—			—			Other expenses
Interest rate forwards	6			(7		)	10			Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate forwards	5			4			3			Net investment income
Interest rate forwards	2			2			(1		)	Other expenses
Foreign currency swaps	(720		)	(768		)	(3		)	Net derivative gains (losses)
Foreign currency swaps	(1		)	(2		)	(3		)	Net investment income
Foreign currency swaps	1			2			1			Other expenses
Credit forwards	1			—			—			Net derivative gains (losses)
Credit forwards	1			1			1			Net investment income
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, before income tax	(608		)	(717		)	36
Income tax (expense) benefit	213			280			(11		)
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of income tax	$	(395	)	$	(437	)	$	25
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$	—		$	(77	)	$	—		Net investment gains (losses)
Income tax (expense) benefit	—			27			—
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	$	—		$	(50	)	$	—
Defined benefit plans adjustment: (1)
Amortization of net actuarial gains (losses)	$	(233	)	$	(180	)	$	283
Amortization of prior service (costs) credit	4			—			(69		)
Amortization of defined benefit plan items, before income tax	(229		)	(180		)	214
Income tax (expense) benefit	80			63			(75		)
Amortization of defined benefit plan items, net of income tax	$	(149	)	$	(117	)	$	139
Total reclassifications, net of income tax	$	(399	)	$	(42	)	$	439

__________________

(1) These AOCI components are included in the computation of net periodic benefit costs. See Note 18.