Debt	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Debt [Abstract]
Debt	13. Debt At September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, AllianceBernstein had $241.3 million and $444.9 million, respectively, in commercial paper outstanding with weighted average interest rates of approximately 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively. The commercial paper and amounts outstanding under the 2012 Credit Facility described below are short term in nature and, as such, recorded value is estimated to approximate fair value. Average daily borrowings of commercial paper during the first nine months of 2012 and the full year 2011 were $439.6 million and $273.6 million, respectively, with weighted average interest rates of approximately 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively. On December 9, 2010, AllianceBernstein entered into a committed, unsecured three-year senior revolving credit facility (the "2010 Credit Facility") with a group of commercial banks and other lenders in an original principal amount of $1.0 billion with SCB LLC as an additional borrower. On January 17, 2012, the 2010 Credit Facility was amended and restated ("2012 Credit Facility"). The principal amount was amended to $900 million from the original principal amount of $1.0 billion, and the accordion feature was increased from $250 million to $350 million. In addition, the maturity date of the 2010 Credit Facility was extended from December 9, 2013 to January 17, 2017. There were no other significant changes in terms and conditions included in this amendment. Effective as of July 13, 2012, through the exercise of the commitment increase provisions of the 2012 Credit Facility, the principal amount was increased from $900 million to $1.0 billion. With this increase, the 2012 Credit Facility provides for possible increases in the principal amount by up to an aggregate incremental amount of $250 million ("accordion feature"), any such increase being subject to the consent of the affected lenders. The 2012 Credit Facility is available for AllianceBernstein's and SCB LLC's business purposes, including the support of AllianceBernstein's $1.0 billion commercial paper program. Both AllianceBernstein and SCB LLC can draw directly under the 2012 Credit Facility and management expects to draw on the 2012 Credit Facility from time to time. AllianceBernstein has agreed to guarantee the obligations of SCB LLC under the 2012 Credit Facility. The 2012 Credit Facility contains affirmative, negative and financial covenants, which are customary for facilities of this type, including, among other things, restrictions on dispositions of assets, restrictions on liens, a minimum interest coverage ratio and a maximum leverage ratio. We are in compliance with these covenants. The 2012 Credit Facility also includes customary events of default (with customary grace periods, as applicable), including provisions under which, upon the occurrence of an event of default, all outstanding loans may be accelerated and/or lender's commitments may be terminated. Also, under such provisions, upon the occurrence of certain insolvency- or bankruptcy-related events of default, all amounts payable under the 2012 Credit Facility would automatically become immediately due and payable, and the lender's commitments would automatically terminate. Amounts under the 2012 Credit Facility may be borrowed, repaid and re-borrowed by us from time to time until the maturity of the facility. Voluntary prepayments and commitment reductions requested by us are permitted at any time without fee (other than customary breakage costs relating to the prepayment of any drawn loans) upon proper notice and subject to a minimum dollar requirement. Borrowings under the 2012 Credit Facility bear interest at a rate per annum, which will be, at our option, a rate equal to an applicable margin, which is subject to adjustment based on the credit ratings of AllianceBernstein, plus one of the following indexes: London Interbank Offered Rate; a floating base rate; or the Federal Funds rate. As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had no amounts outstanding under the 2012 Credit Facility. During the first nine months of 2012, we did not draw upon the 2012 Credit Facility. During the full year 2011, $40.0 million was outstanding for one day in February (with an interest rate of 1.3%) resulting in average daily borrowings of $0.1 million under the 2010 Credit Facility. In addition, SCB LLC has five uncommitted lines of credit with four financial institutions. Two of these lines of credit permit us to borrow up to an aggregate of approximately $200.0 million while three lines have no stated limit. During May 2012, AllianceBernstein was named an additional borrower under a $100.0 million SCB uncommitted line of credit. As of September 30, 2012, there were no loans outstanding. During the first nine months of 2012, $5.0 million was outstanding for one day with an interest rate of 1.4%. As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had no uncommitted bank loans outstanding. Average daily borrowings of uncommitted bank loans during the first nine months of 2012 and full year 2011 were $17.4 million and $6.4 million, respectively, with weighted average interest rates of approximately 1.2% and 1.3%, respectively.

13. Debt

At September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, AllianceBernstein had $241.3 million and $444.9 million, respectively, in commercial paper outstanding with weighted average interest rates of approximately 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively. The commercial paper and amounts outstanding under the 2012 Credit Facility described below are short term in nature and, as such, recorded value is estimated to approximate fair value. Average daily borrowings of commercial paper during the first nine months of 2012 and the full year 2011 were $439.6 million and $273.6 million, respectively, with weighted average interest rates of approximately 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively.

On December 9, 2010, AllianceBernstein entered into a committed, unsecured three-year senior revolving credit facility (the "2010 Credit Facility") with a group of commercial banks and other lenders in an original principal amount of $1.0 billion with SCB LLC as an additional borrower. On January 17, 2012, the 2010 Credit Facility was amended and restated ("2012 Credit Facility"). The principal amount was amended to $900 million from the original principal amount of $1.0 billion, and the accordion feature was increased from $250 million to $350 million. In addition, the maturity date of the 2010 Credit Facility was extended from December 9, 2013 to January 17, 2017. There were no other significant changes in terms and conditions included in this amendment. Effective as of July 13, 2012, through the exercise of the commitment increase provisions of the 2012 Credit Facility, the principal amount was increased from $900 million to $1.0 billion. With this increase, the 2012 Credit Facility provides for possible increases in the principal amount by up to an aggregate incremental amount of $250 million ("accordion feature"), any such increase being subject to the consent of the affected lenders.

The 2012 Credit Facility is available for AllianceBernstein's and SCB LLC's business purposes, including the support of AllianceBernstein's $1.0 billion commercial paper program. Both AllianceBernstein and SCB LLC can draw directly under the 2012 Credit Facility and management expects to draw on the 2012 Credit Facility from time to time. AllianceBernstein has agreed to guarantee the obligations of SCB LLC under the 2012 Credit Facility.

The 2012 Credit Facility contains affirmative, negative and financial covenants, which are customary for facilities of this type, including, among other things, restrictions on dispositions of assets, restrictions on liens, a minimum interest coverage ratio and a maximum leverage ratio. We are in compliance with these covenants. The 2012 Credit Facility also includes customary events of default (with customary grace periods, as applicable), including provisions under which, upon the occurrence of an event of default, all outstanding loans may be accelerated and/or lender's commitments may be terminated. Also, under such provisions, upon the occurrence of certain insolvency- or bankruptcy-related events of default, all amounts payable under the 2012 Credit Facility would automatically become immediately due and payable, and the lender's commitments would automatically terminate.

Amounts under the 2012 Credit Facility may be borrowed, repaid and re-borrowed by us from time to time until the maturity of the facility. Voluntary prepayments and commitment reductions requested by us are permitted at any time without fee (other than customary breakage costs relating to the prepayment of any drawn loans) upon proper notice and subject to a minimum dollar requirement. Borrowings under the 2012 Credit Facility bear interest at a rate per annum, which will be, at our option, a rate equal to an applicable margin, which is subject to adjustment based on the credit ratings of AllianceBernstein, plus one of the following indexes: London Interbank Offered Rate; a floating base rate; or the Federal Funds rate.

As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had no amounts outstanding under the 2012 Credit Facility. During the first nine months of 2012, we did not draw upon the 2012 Credit Facility. During the full year 2011, $40.0 million was outstanding for one day in February (with an interest rate of 1.3%) resulting in average daily borrowings of $0.1 million under the 2010 Credit Facility.

In addition, SCB LLC has five uncommitted lines of credit with four financial institutions. Two of these lines of credit permit us to borrow up to an aggregate of approximately $200.0 million while three lines have no stated limit. During May 2012, AllianceBernstein was named an additional borrower under a $100.0 million SCB uncommitted line of credit. As of September 30, 2012, there were no loans outstanding. During the first nine months of 2012, $5.0 million was outstanding for one day with an interest rate of 1.4%.

As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had no uncommitted bank loans outstanding. Average daily borrowings of uncommitted bank loans during the first nine months of 2012 and full year 2011 were $17.4 million and $6.4 million, respectively, with weighted average interest rates of approximately 1.2% and 1.3%, respectively.