Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Net investment income									$ 3,294	$ 3,354	$ 3,343
Fee income									2,627	2,471	2,470
Premiums									2,121	2,795	2,554
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total other-than-temporary impairments									(30)	(32)	(78)
Less: Portion of other-than-temporary impairments recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss)									(9)	2	5
Net other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings									(21)	(34)	(83)
Other net realized capital gains (losses)									(206)	(329)	(477)
Total net realized capital gains (losses)									(227)	(363)	(560)
Other revenue									371	342	385
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income									432	189	551
Changes in fair value related to collateralized loan obligations									0	0	(27)
Total revenues	$ 2,186	$ 2,184	$ 2,191	$ 2,057	$ 2,324	$ 2,110	$ 2,088	$ 2,266	8,618	8,788	8,716
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits									3,030	3,710	3,161
Interest credited to contract owner account balances									1,606	1,604	1,537
Operating expenses									2,654	2,655	2,684
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired									529	415	377
Interest expense									184	288	197
Operating expenses related to consolidated investment entities									87	106	284
Interest expense									80	102	272
Other expense									7	4	12
Total benefits and expenses	1,966	2,144	2,036	1,944	2,216	2,216	2,118	2,228	8,090	8,778	8,240
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	220	40	155	113	108	(106)	(30)	38	528	10	476
Income tax expense (benefit)									740	(29)	84
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(212)	39	392
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,616)	134	64	(162)	(478)	(145)	137	149	(2,580)	(337)	146
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									(2,792)	(298)	538
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(3,083)	214	219	(142)	(375)	(251)	137	191	(2,792)	(298)	538
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	82	65	52	1	42	12	(25)	0	200	29	130
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders	$ (3,165)	$ 149	$ 167	$ (143)	$ (417)	$ (263)	$ 162	$ 191	(2,992)	(327)	408
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues:
Net investment income									(13)	(12)	(9)
Fee income									0	0	0
Premiums									0	0	0
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total other-than-temporary impairments									0	0	0
Less: Portion of other-than-temporary impairments recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss)									0	0	0
Net other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings									0	0	0
Other net realized capital gains (losses)									0	0	0
Total net realized capital gains (losses)									0	0	0
Other revenue									0	0	(3)
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income									0	0	0
Changes in fair value related to collateralized loan obligations											0
Total revenues									(13)	(12)	(12)
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits									0	0	0
Interest credited to contract owner account balances									0	0	0
Operating expenses									0	0	(3)
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired									0	0	0
Interest expense									(13)	(12)	(9)
Interest expense									0	0	0
Other expense									0	0	0
Total benefits and expenses									(13)	(12)	(12)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	17	(21)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									0	(17)	21
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									0	(17)	21
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax									5,379	(126)	(768)
Net income (loss)									5,379	(143)	(747)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders									5,379	(143)	(747)
Parent Issuer
Revenues:
Net investment income									33	19	4
Fee income									0	0	0
Premiums									0	0	0
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total other-than-temporary impairments									0	0	0
Less: Portion of other-than-temporary impairments recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss)									0	0	0
Net other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings									0	0	0
Other net realized capital gains (losses)									0	1	(2)
Total net realized capital gains (losses)									0	1	(2)
Other revenue									8	1	3
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income									0	0	0
Changes in fair value related to collateralized loan obligations											0
Total revenues									41	21	5
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits									0	0	0
Interest credited to contract owner account balances									0	0	0
Operating expenses									9	9	10
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired									0	0	0
Interest expense									155	238	150
Interest expense									0	0	0
Other expense									0	0	0
Total benefits and expenses									164	247	160
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(123)	(226)	(155)
Income tax expense (benefit)									113	(90)	(52)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(236)	(136)	(103)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									(236)	(136)	(103)
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax									(2,756)	(191)	511
Net income (loss)									(2,992)	(327)	408
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders									(2,992)	(327)	408
Subsidiary Guarantor
Revenues:
Net investment income									0	0	0
Fee income									0	0	0
Premiums									0	0	0
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total other-than-temporary impairments									0	0	0
Less: Portion of other-than-temporary impairments recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss)									0	0	0
Net other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings									0	0	0
Other net realized capital gains (losses)									0	0	0
Total net realized capital gains (losses)									0	0	0
Other revenue									1	0	0
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income									0	0	0
Changes in fair value related to collateralized loan obligations											0
Total revenues									1	0	0
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits									0	0	0
Interest credited to contract owner account balances									0	0	0
Operating expenses									0	0	(1)
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired									0	0	0
Interest expense									37	57	51
Interest expense									0	0	0
Other expense									0	0	0
Total benefits and expenses									37	57	50
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(36)	(57)	(50)
Income tax expense (benefit)									3	(26)	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(39)	(31)	(50)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									(39)	(31)	(50)
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax									(2,623)	317	257
Net income (loss)									(2,662)	286	207
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders									(2,662)	286	207
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Net investment income									3,274	3,347	3,348
Fee income									2,627	2,471	2,470
Premiums									2,121	2,795	2,554
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total other-than-temporary impairments									(30)	(32)	(78)
Less: Portion of other-than-temporary impairments recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss)									(9)	2	5
Net other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings									(21)	(34)	(83)
Other net realized capital gains (losses)									(206)	(330)	(475)
Total net realized capital gains (losses)									(227)	(364)	(558)
Other revenue									362	341	385
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income									432	189	551
Changes in fair value related to collateralized loan obligations											(27)
Total revenues									8,589	8,779	8,723
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits									3,030	3,710	3,161
Interest credited to contract owner account balances									1,606	1,604	1,537
Operating expenses									2,645	2,646	2,678
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired									529	415	377
Interest expense									5	5	5
Interest expense									80	102	272
Other expense									7	4	12
Total benefits and expenses									7,902	8,486	8,042
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									687	293	681
Income tax expense (benefit)									624	70	157
Income (loss) from continuing operations									63	223	524
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									(2,580)	(337)	146
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									(2,517)	(114)	670
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(2,517)	(114)	670
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									200	29	130
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders									$ (2,717)	$ (143)	$ 540