Long-term Incentive Compensation Plans (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Long-term Incentive Compensation Plans [Abstract]
Maximum percentage of award an employee can elect to allocate to deferred cash (in hundredths)			50.00%
Maximum amount of deferred cash			$ 250,000
Maximum amount of deferred cash for foreign employee			100,000
Maximum percentage of award foreign employee can elect to allocate to deferred cash			100.00%
Number of business days used in calculation			5 days
Long-term incentive awards vesting period			4 years
Options exercisable period			3 years
Restricted Holding Units awarded to employees (in units)		6,500,000	200,000	6,600,000
Holding Units purchased in periods (in units)			200,000	1,000,000
Dollar amount paid for Holding Units acquired			3,700,000	19,600,000
Open-market purchases of Holding Units (in units)				800,000
Dollar amount paid for open-market purchases of Holding Units				16,000,000
Decrease in AllianceBernstein's and Holdings units outstanding (in units)	13,100,000		(81,438)
Units issued upon exercise of options (in units)			273,084
Proceeds from stock options exercised			$ 4,656,000	$ 6,642,000