Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Investment advisory and services fees	$ 493,988us-gaap_InvestmentAdvisoryFees	$ 454,884us-gaap_InvestmentAdvisoryFees
Bernstein research services	126,046us-gaap_BrokerageCommissionsRevenue	123,009us-gaap_BrokerageCommissionsRevenue
Distribution revenues	109,184us-gaap_FeesAndCommissionsOther	106,186us-gaap_FeesAndCommissionsOther
Dividend and interest income	5,094	4,101
Investment gains (losses)	3,888us-gaap_PrincipalInvestmentGainsLosses	559us-gaap_PrincipalInvestmentGainsLosses
Other revenues	24,990us-gaap_RevenueOtherFinancialServices	26,680us-gaap_RevenueOtherFinancialServices
Total revenues	763,190us-gaap_Revenues	715,419us-gaap_Revenues
Less: Interest expense	619us-gaap_InterestExpense	801us-gaap_InterestExpense
Net revenues	762,571us-gaap_RevenuesNetOfInterestExpense	714,618us-gaap_RevenuesNetOfInterestExpense
Expenses:
Employee compensation and benefits	326,327us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense	307,033us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense
Promotion and servicing:
Distribution-related payments	100,386	98,642
Amortization of deferred sales commissions	12,399	8,957
Other	55,537	53,645
General and administrative:
General and administrative	107,333us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	107,487us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Real estate (credits) charges	(383)us-gaap_OtherRestructuringCosts	1,942us-gaap_OtherRestructuringCosts
Contingent payment arrangements	443	321
Interest on borrowings	854us-gaap_InterestExpenseBorrowings	781us-gaap_InterestExpenseBorrowings
Amortization of intangible assets	6,461us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	5,907us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Total expenses	609,357us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	584,715us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Operating income	153,214us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	129,903us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Income taxes	10,470us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	11,365us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income	142,744us-gaap_ProfitLoss	118,538us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Net income of consolidated entities attributable to non-controlling interests	1,275	1,813
Net income attributable to AB Unitholders	$ 141,469us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 116,725us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Net income per AB Unit:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.51	$ 0.43
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.51	$ 0.43

The amount of expense recognized in the current period for the periodic realization of capitalized fees that were paid to salespeople, distributors, brokers, and agents at the time of the conclusion of the sale. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

Name:	us-gaap_AmortizationOfDeferredSalesCommissions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration