Other Stock-related Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation [Line Items]

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]

(In thousands)	2015		2014		2013
Restricted stock vested during the year ended		3,899		3,305		4,583

Schedule Of Other Share Based Compensation Activity [Table Text Block]

(In millions)	2015		2014		2013
Income tax benefit recognized in earnings	$	148	$	147	$	145
Excess of actual tax deductions over amounts assumed recognized in equity		167		86		86

	Aggregate
	intrinsic
As of December 31, 2015, unless otherwise stated (in millions)	value
Stock options outstanding	$	4,534
Stock options exercised in 2015		746
Non-vested restricted stock outstanding		434
Restricted stock vested in 2015		102

Stock Option [Member]

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation [Line Items]

Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan [Table Text Block]

(In millions, after tax)	2015		2014		2013
Compensation Expense	$	234	$	215	$	231

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

	2015			2014			2013
Weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options	$	4.64		$	5.26		$	4.52
Stock Option Valuation Assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate		2.0	%		2.3	%		2.5	%
Dividend yield		3.4	%		3.1	%		4.0	%
Expected volatility		25.0	%		26.0	%		28.0	%
Expected option life (in years)		6.8			7.3			7.5
Other pricing model inputs:
Weighted average grant-date market price of GE stock (strike price)	$	25.79		$	26.11		$	23.80

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Stock Options Activity [Table Text Block]

As of December 31, 2015 unless, otherwise stated (in thousands, except per share data)
Stock options granted during 2015		52,561
Weighted average strike price of awards granted in 2015	$	25.79
Stock options outstanding		467,922
Weighted average strike price of stock options outstanding	$	21.72
Stock options exercisable		298,199
Weighted average strike price of stock options exercisable	$	20.14

Schedule of Cash Proceeds Received from Share-based Payment Awards [Table Text Block]

	2015		2014		2013
Stock options exercised (in thousands)		65,764		30,433		36,191
Cash received from stock options exercised (in millions)	$	1,098	$	439	$	490

Restricted Stock [Member]

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation [Line Items]

Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan [Table Text Block]

(In millions, after tax)	2015		2014		2013
Compensation expense(a)	$	72	$	56	$	62

(a) Includes $5.7 million of compensation expense related to performance share units.

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Restricted Stock Award At The Grant Date [Table Text Block]

	2015		2014		2013
Weighted average grant-date fair value of restricted stock awards	$	26.74	$	26.08	$	24.54

As of December 31, 2015, unless otherwise stated (in thousands, except per share data)
Restricted stock granted during 2015		3,756
Non-vested restricted stock outstanding		13,941
Weighted average fair value at grant date of non-vested stock	$	25.05