INCOME TAXES (Details - EFFECTIVE TAX RATE) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (benefit)
U.S.										$ (12)	$ 1,940	$ 1,041
Foreign										269	(474)	(1,115)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense	$ (695)	$ (1,527)	$ 1,252	$ 1,227	$ 875	$ (2,803)	$ 1,667	$ 1,727		257	1,466	(74)
Foreign:
Current										202	209	436
Deferred										(7)	25	(121)
U.S.:
Current										134	427	140
Deferred										(175)	6,865	(270)
Income tax expense										154	7,526	185
Reconciliation between actual income tax (benefit) expense and statutory U.S. federal amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate, pre-tax income (loss)
Consolidated total amounts										255	1,476	(159)
Amounts attributable to discontinued operations										(2)	10	(85)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense	(695)	(1,527)	1,252	1,227	875	(2,803)	1,667	1,727		257	1,466	(74)
Reconciliation between actual income tax (benefit) expense and statutory U.S. federal amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate, tax expense/benefit
U.S. federal income tax at statutory rate										54	517	(56)
Consolidated total amounts										194	7,532	190
Amounts attributable to discontinued operations										40	6	5
Income tax expense										154	7,526	185
Adjustments:
Tax exempt interest										(37)	(111)	(178)
Uncertain tax positions										176	660	268
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive income										(72)	(184)	(132)
Partial completion of Internal Revenue Service examination											0	116
Tax exempt income										75	201	253
Cross Border Financing Transactions										0	660	216
Dispositions of Subsidiaries										0	17	118
Tax Attribute Restoration										0	0	(164)
Non-controlling Interest										(1)	(7)	(81)
Non-deductible transfer pricing charges										29	35	102
Dividends received deduction										(38)	(90)	(75)
Effect of foreign operations										44	69	234
Share-based compensation payments excess tax deduction										(13)	(40)	0
State income taxes										10	(9)	23
Impact of Tax Act	0	62	0	0	6,687	0	0	0		62	6,687	0
Global intangible low-taxed income										21	0	0
Other										(102)	(58)	13
Effect of discontinued operations										40	3	35
Valuation allowance
Continuing operations										21	$ 43	$ 83
Increase (Decrease) in certain other valuation allowances associated with foreign jurisdictions										0
Increase (Decrease) in certain other valuation allowances associated with certain state jurisdictions.		0								0
Valuation allowance related to unrealized losses that are no more-likely-than-not to be realized										$ 0
Reconciliation between actual income tax (benefit) expense and statutory U.S. federal amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate, percentage of pre-tax income (loss)
U.S. federal income tax at statutory rate (as a percent)									21.00%	21.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Consolidated total amounts (as a percent)										76.00%	510.30%	(119.50%)
Amounts attributable to discontinued operations (as a percent)											60.00%	(5.90%)
Adjustments:
Amounts attributable to continuing operations (as a percent)										59.90%	513.40%	(250.00%)
Tax exempt interest (as a percent)										(14.50%)	(7.50%)	111.90%
Uncertain Tax Positions (as a percent)										69.00%	44.70%	(168.60%)
Reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (as a percent)										(28.20%)	(12.50%)	83.00%
Dispositions of Subsidiaries (as a percent)										0.00%	1.20%	(74.20%)
Tax Attribute Restoration (as a percent)										0.00%	0.00%	103.10%
Non-controlling Interest (as a percent)										(0.40%)	(0.50%)	50.90%
Non-deductible transfer pricing charges (as a percent)										11.40%	2.40%	(64.20%)
Dividends received deduction (as a percent)										(14.80%)	(6.10%)	47.20%
Effect of foreign operations (as a percent)										17.30%	4.70%	(147.20%)
Share-based compensation payments excess tax deduction (as a percent)										(5.10%)	(2.70%)	0.00%
State income taxes (as a percent)										3.90%	(0.60%)	(14.50%)
Impact of Tax Act (as a percent)										24.30%	453.00%	0.00%
Global intangible low-taxed income (as a percent)										8.20%	0.00%	0.00%
Other (as a percent)										(40.00%)	(3.90%)	(8.20%)
Effect of discontinued operations (as a percent)										15.70%	0.20%	(22.00%)
Valuation allowance (as a percent):
Continuing operations (as a percent)										8.20%	2.90%	(52.20%)
Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries	0									$ 0
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
Unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties	4,709				4,707					4,709	$ 4,707	$ 4,530	$ 4,331
Unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized would not affect the effective tax rate	38				28					38	28	66
Unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized would favorably affect the effective tax rate	4,700				4,700					4,700	4,700	4,400
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest and penalties accrued	2,200				2,000					2,200	2,000	1,200
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest net of the federal benefit (expense) and penalties										(190)	(776)	(26)
Decrease in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible in the next twelve months	3,900									3,900
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance recognized	(21)	$ 5	$ 7	$ 30	$ 40	$ 24	$ (8)	$ (13)
Charges related to accrual of income tax interest	$ 48									48
Foreign and state
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance recognized										21
US Life companies capital loss carryforward
Valuation allowance
Continuing operations												$ 0
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance recognized										$ 290
Other valuation allowance associated with foreign jurisdictions | Residential mortgages dispute resolution
Adjustments:
Other											$ 0