Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Policy (Text Block) [Abstract]
Card Member and Other Receivables and Loans	The Company’s charge and lending payment card products result in the generation of Card Member receivables and Card Member loans, respectively. Impaired Card Member Loans and Receivables Impaired loans and receivables are individual larger balance or homogeneous pools of smaller balance loans and receivables for which it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the original contractual terms of the Card Member agreement. In certain cases these Card Member loans and receivables are included in one of the Company’s various modification programs. Beginning January 1, 2015, on a prospective basis the Company continues to classify Card Member accounts that have exited a modification program as a Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR), with such accounts identified as “Out of Program TDRs.”
Reserves for losses	Reserves for losses relating to Card Member receivables and loans represent management’s best estimate of the probable inherent losses in the Company’s outstanding portfolio of loans and receivables, as of the balance sheet date. Management’s evaluation process requires certain estimates and judgments.
Investments	Investment securities principally include debt securities that the Company classifies as available-for-sale and carries at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, with unrealized gains (losses) recorded in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, net of income taxes. Realized gains and losses are recognized on a trade-date basis in results of operations upon disposition of the securities using the specific identification method. Overall, for the investment securities in gross unrealized loss positions (i) the Company does not intend to sell the investment securities, (ii) it is more likely than not that the Company will not be required to sell the investment securities before recovery of the unrealized losses, and (iii) the Company expects that the contractual principal and interest will be received on the investment securities. As a result, the Company recognized no other-than-temporary impairment during the periods presented.
Asset Securitizations	The Company periodically securitizes Card Member receivables and loans arising from its card business through the transfer of those assets to securitization trusts. The trusts then issue securities to third-party investors, collateralized by the transferred assets.
Commitments and contingencies	The Company has recorded reserves for certain of its outstanding legal proceedings. A reserve is recorded when it is both (a) probable that a loss has occurred and (b) the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. There may be instances in which an exposure to loss exceeds the recorded reserve. The Company evaluates, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings that could cause an increase or decrease in the amount of the reserve that has been previously recorded, or a revision to the disclosed estimated range of possible losses, as applicable.
Derivatives	The Company uses derivative financial instruments (derivatives) to manage exposures to various market risks. These instruments derive their value from an underlying variable or multiple variables, including interest rate, foreign exchange rates, and equity index or price, and are carried at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These instruments enable end users to increase, reduce or alter exposure to various market risks and, for that reason, are an integral component of the Company’s market risk management. The Company does not transact in derivatives for trading purposes. Derivative Financial Instruments that Qualify for Hedge Accounting Refer to Note 12 on pages 89 – 90 of the Annual Report for information on derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting.
Fair Values	Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements The Company has certain assets that are subject to measurement at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. For these assets, measurement at fair value in periods subsequent to their initial recognition is applicable if determined to be impaired. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and during the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company did not have any material assets that were measured at fair value due to impairment.

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Card Member and Other Receivables and Loans

The Company’s charge and lending payment card products result in the generation of Card Member receivables and Card Member loans, respectively.

Impaired Card Member Loans and Receivables

Impaired loans and receivables are individual larger balance or homogeneous pools of smaller balance loans and receivables for which it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the original contractual terms of the Card Member agreement. In certain cases these Card Member loans and receivables are included in one of the Company’s various modification programs. Beginning January 1, 2015, on a prospective basis the Company continues to classify Card Member accounts that have exited a modification program as a Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR), with such accounts identified as “Out of Program TDRs.”

Reserves for losses

Reserves for losses relating to Card Member receivables and loans represent management’s best estimate of the probable inherent losses in the Company’s outstanding portfolio of loans and receivables, as of the balance sheet date. Management’s evaluation process requires certain estimates and judgments.

Investments

Investment securities principally include debt securities that the Company classifies as available-for-sale and carries at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, with unrealized gains (losses) recorded in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, net of income taxes. Realized gains and losses are recognized on a trade-date basis in results of operations upon disposition of the securities using the specific identification method.

Overall, for the investment securities in gross unrealized loss positions (i) the Company does not intend to sell the investment securities, (ii) it is more likely than not that the Company will not be required to sell the investment securities before recovery of the unrealized losses, and (iii) the Company expects that the contractual principal and interest will be received on the investment securities. As a result, the Company recognized no other-than-temporary impairment during the periods presented.

Asset Securitizations

The Company periodically securitizes Card Member receivables and loans arising from its card business through the transfer of those assets to securitization trusts. The trusts then issue securities to third-party investors, collateralized by the transferred assets.

Commitments and contingencies

The Company has recorded reserves for certain of its outstanding legal proceedings. A reserve is recorded when it is both (a) probable that a loss has occurred and (b) the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. There may be instances in which an exposure to loss exceeds the recorded reserve. The Company evaluates, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings that could cause an increase or decrease in the amount of the reserve that has been previously recorded, or a revision to the disclosed estimated range of possible losses, as applicable.

Derivatives

The Company uses derivative financial instruments (derivatives) to manage exposures to various market risks. These instruments derive their value from an underlying variable or multiple variables, including interest rate, foreign exchange rates, and equity index or price, and are carried at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These instruments enable end users to increase, reduce or alter exposure to various market risks and, for that reason, are an integral component of the Company’s market risk management. The Company does not transact in derivatives for trading purposes.

Derivative Financial Instruments that Qualify for Hedge Accounting

Refer to Note 12 on pages 89 – 90 of the Annual Report for information on derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting.

Fair Values

Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements

The Company has certain assets that are subject to measurement at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. For these assets, measurement at fair value in periods subsequent to their initial recognition is applicable if determined to be impaired. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and during the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company did not have any material assets that were measured at fair value due to impairment.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for its derivative instruments and hedging activities.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for finance, loan and lease receivables, including those held for investment and those held for sale. This disclosure may include (1) the basis at which such receivables are carried in the entity's statements of financial position (2) how the level of the allowance for loan and lease losses is determined (3) when impairments, charge-offs or recoveries are recognized for such receivables (4) the treatment of origination fees and costs, including the amortization method for net deferred fees or costs (5) the treatment of any premiums or discounts or unearned income (6) the entity's income recognition (revenues, expenses and gains and losses arising from committing to issue, issuing, granting, collecting, terminating, modifying and holding loans) policies for such receivables, including those that are impaired, past due or placed on nonaccrual status and (7) the treatment of foreclosures or repossessions.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for investments in financial assets, including marketable securities (debt and equity securities with readily determinable fair values), investments accounted for under the equity method and cost method, securities borrowed and loaned, and repurchase and resale agreements. For marketable securities, the disclosure may include the entity's accounting treatment for transfers between investment categories and how the fair values for such securities are determined. Also, for all investments, an entity may describe its policy for assessing, recognizing and measuring impairment of the investment.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for transfers and servicing financial assets, including securitization transactions as well as repurchase and resale agreements. This disclosure may include how the entity (1) determines whether a transaction is accounted for as a sale; (2) accounts for a sale transaction, including the initial and subsequent accounting for any interests that the entity obtains or continues to hold in the transaction, how such interests are valued, and the significant assumptions used in the valuation; (3) accounts for a transaction that does not qualify for sale treatment (that is, a financing); and (4) accounts for its servicing assets and liabilities ("servicing"), including how such servicing is measured initially and subsequently, and the methodology and significant assumptions used to value such servicing.

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