Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Assets
Amortized cost of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	$ 304,767	$ 310,811
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Allowance for Credit Loss	104	81
Mortgage loans valuation allowances	528	590
Residential mortgage loans — FVO	83,015	83,919
Real estate and real estate joint ventures (includes $182 and $169, respectively, under the fair value option and $189 and $128, respectively, of real estate held-for-sale)	12,007	11,933
Real Estate Held-for-sale	189	128
Other Invested Assets - Leveraged and Direct Financing Leases	2,126	2,156
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	18,677	20,593
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	19,635	19,795
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	18,727	17,870
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	12,164	11,685
Liabilities
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	14,509	14,603
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	$ 24,457	$ 23,614
MetLife, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, aggregate liquidation preference	$ 4,405	$ 4,405
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	3,000,000,000	3,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	1,185,584,001	1,181,614,288
Common stock, shares outstanding	878,312,175	892,910,600
Treasury stock, shares	307,271,826	288,703,688
Residential mortgage loans - FVO
Assets
Residential mortgage loans — FVO	$ 149	$ 165
Real estate and real estate joint venture [Member]
Assets
Real estate and real estate joint ventures (includes $182 and $169, respectively, under the fair value option and $189 and $128, respectively, of real estate held-for-sale)	182	169
Variable interest entities
Assets
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	371	332
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	12	12
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	4	4
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	1	1
Liabilities
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	0	5
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	$ 1	$ 1