LENDING ACTIVITIES (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Changes in the allowance for losses on Mortgage and other loans receivable
Allowance at the beginning of the year	$ 405,000,000	$ 740,000,000
Loans charged off	(23,000,000)	(11,000,000)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off	1,000,000	2,000,000
Net charge-offs	(22,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Provision for loan losses	3,000,000	2,000,000
Other	(1,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Activity of discontinued operations		(24,000,000)
Allowance at the end of the period	385,000,000	708,000,000
Loans modified in a troubled debt restructuring	0	0
Commercial mortgages
Changes in the allowance for losses on Mortgage and other loans receivable
Allowance at the beginning of the year	159,000,000	305,000,000
Loans charged off	(1,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off		2,000,000
Net charge-offs	(1,000,000)	(4,000,000)
Provision for loan losses	7,000,000	(5,000,000)
Allowance at the end of the period	165,000,000	296,000,000
Allowance related to individually assessed credit losses	53,000,000	60,000,000
Commercial mortgage loans	208,000,000	442,000,000
Other Loans
Changes in the allowance for losses on Mortgage and other loans receivable
Allowance at the beginning of the year	246,000,000	435,000,000
Loans charged off	(22,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off	1,000,000
Net charge-offs	(21,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Provision for loan losses	(4,000,000)	7,000,000
Other	(1,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Activity of discontinued operations		(24,000,000)
Allowance at the end of the period	$ 220,000,000	$ 412,000,000