Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Revenues:
Net investment income	$ 698	$ 658
Fee income	505	482
Premiums	608	575
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total impairments	(20)	(26)
Other net realized capital gains (losses)	(213)	14
Total net realized capital gains (losses)	(233)	(12)
Other revenue	92	114
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income	15	5
Total revenues	1,685	1,822
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	596	645
Interest credited to contract owner account balances	286	289
Operating expenses	640	682
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired	76	57
Interest expense	40	42
Operating expenses related to consolidated investment entities:
Interest expense	3	5
Total benefits and expenses	1,641	1,720
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	44	102
Income tax expense (benefit)	(6)	9
Income (loss) from continuing operations	50	93
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(128)	(20)
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	(78)	73
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	(78)	73
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	6	(1)
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.	(84)	74
Less: Preferred stock dividends	14	10
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders	(98)	64
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues:
Net investment income	(3)	(3)
Fee income	0	0
Premiums	0	0
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total impairments	0	0
Other net realized capital gains (losses)	0	0
Total net realized capital gains (losses)	0	0
Other revenue	0	0
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income	0	0
Total revenues	(3)	(3)
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	0	0
Interest credited to contract owner account balances	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired	0	0
Interest expense	(3)	(3)
Operating expenses related to consolidated investment entities:
Interest expense	0	0
Total benefits and expenses	(3)	(3)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	0	0
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(100)	(162)
Net income (loss)	(100)	(162)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.	(100)	(162)
Less: Preferred stock dividends	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders	(100)	(162)
Parent Issuer
Revenues:
Net investment income	3	15
Fee income	0	0
Premiums	0	0
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total impairments	0	0
Other net realized capital gains (losses)	(26)	0
Total net realized capital gains (losses)	(26)	0
Other revenue	0	0
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income	0	0
Total revenues	(23)	15
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	0	0
Interest credited to contract owner account balances	0	0
Operating expenses	4	3
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired	0	0
Interest expense	34	37
Operating expenses related to consolidated investment entities:
Interest expense	0	0
Total benefits and expenses	38	40
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(61)	(25)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(13)	(5)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(48)	(20)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	(48)	(20)
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(36)	94
Net income (loss)	(84)	74
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.	(84)	74
Less: Preferred stock dividends	14	10
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders	(98)	64
Subsidiary Guarantor
Revenues:
Net investment income	0	0
Fee income	0	0
Premiums	0	0
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total impairments	0	0
Other net realized capital gains (losses)	0	0
Total net realized capital gains (losses)	0	0
Other revenue	0	0
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income	0	0
Total revenues	0	0
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	0	0
Interest credited to contract owner account balances	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired	0	0
Interest expense	7	6
Operating expenses related to consolidated investment entities:
Interest expense	0	0
Total benefits and expenses	7	6
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(7)	(6)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(3)	(1)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(4)	(5)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(79)
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	(4)	(84)
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax	136	68
Net income (loss)	132	(16)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.	132	(16)
Less: Preferred stock dividends	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders	132	(16)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Net investment income	698	646
Fee income	505	482
Premiums	608	575
Net realized capital gains (losses):
Total impairments	(20)	(26)
Other net realized capital gains (losses)	(187)	14
Total net realized capital gains (losses)	(207)	(12)
Other revenue	92	114
Income (loss) related to consolidated investment entities:
Net investment income	15	5
Total revenues	1,711	1,810
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	596	645
Interest credited to contract owner account balances	286	289
Operating expenses	636	679
Net amortization of Deferred policy acquisition costs and Value of business acquired	76	57
Interest expense	2	2
Operating expenses related to consolidated investment entities:
Interest expense	3	5
Total benefits and expenses	1,599	1,677
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	112	133
Income tax expense (benefit)	10	15
Income (loss) from continuing operations	102	118
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(128)	59
Net income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	(26)	177
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	(26)	177
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	6	(1)
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.	(32)	178
Less: Preferred stock dividends	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Voya Financial, Inc.'s common shareholders	$ (32)	$ 178