Schedule II Condensed Financial Information of Registrant - Parent Company Only (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Information of Registrant Statement of Cash Flows - Parent Company Only
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			$ 5,865		$ 3,676		$ (81)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Sales of divested businesses, net							587
Purchase of investments			(77,887)		(76,567)		(101,155)
Net change in restricted cash			1,244		414		27,244
Net change in short-term investments			7,842		(8,109)		19,988
Payments received on mortgages and other loan receivables			3,420		3,313		3,207
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			7,099		16,612		36,448
Cash flows from financing activities:
FRBNY credit facility repayments							(14,622)
Issuance of long-term debt			5,235		8,612		7,762
Repayments of long-term debt			(14,197)		(11,101)		(17,810)
Proceeds from drawdown on the Department of the Treasury Commitment							20,292
Issuance of Common Stock	2,900						5,055
Cash dividends paid			(294)
Purchase of Common Stock			(597)		(13,000)		(70)
Other, net			(1,905)		(5,075)		(35,591)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(11,758)		(20,564)		(36,926)
Net increase (decrease) in cash			1,114		(260)		(530)
Cash at beginning of year		1,558	1,151		1,474		1,558
Cash at end of year			2,241		1,151		1,474
Interest:
Third party			(3,856)	[1]	(4,037)	[1]	(8,985)	[1]
Taxes:
Income tax authorities			(796)		(447)		(716)
Non-cash investing/financing activities:
Payment of accrued compounded interest of FRBNY Credit Facility		4,700					6,363
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Information of Registrant Statement of Cash Flows - Parent Company Only
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			6,422		(825)		(5,600)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Sales and maturities of investments			1,074		16,546		2,224
Sales of divested businesses, net							1,075
Purchase of investments			(5,506)		(4,406)		(19)
Net change in restricted cash			493		(377)		1,945
Net change in short-term investments			2,361		(2,029)		(7,130)
Contributions to subsidiaries - net			(2,081)		(152)		(15,973)
Payments received on mortgages and other loan receivables			351		328		341
Loans to subsidiaries - net			3,660		5,126		3,757
Other, net			130		259		1,543
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			482		15,295		(12,237)
Cash flows from financing activities:
FRBNY credit facility repayments							(14,622)
Issuance of long-term debt			2,015		3,754		2,135
Repayments of long-term debt			(7,439)		(3,238)		(6,181)
Proceeds from drawdown on the Department of the Treasury Commitment							20,292
Issuance of Common Stock							5,055
Cash dividends paid			(294)
Loans from subsidiaries - net			(123)		(2,032)		11,519
Purchase of Common Stock			(597)		(13,000)		(70)
Other, net			(517)		(49)		(164)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(6,955)		(14,565)		17,964
Net increase (decrease) in cash			(51)		(95)		127
Cash at beginning of year		49	81		176		49
Cash at end of year			30		81		176
Interest:
Third party			(1,963)		(2,089)		(6,909)
Intercompany			(12)		(133)		(311)
Taxes:
Income tax authorities			(161)		(7)		13
Intercompany			288		230		(335)
Non-cash investing/financing activities:
Capital contributions in the form of available for sale securities					4,078
Capital contributions to subsidiaries through forgiveness of loans			341
Other capital contributions - net			523		579		523
Intercompany loan receivable offset by intercompany payable							18,284
Return of capital and dividend received in the form of cancellation of intercompany loan					9,303
Return of capital and dividend received in the form of other bonds securities					$ 3,320		$ 3,668

[1] 2011 includes payment of the FRBNY credit facility accrued compounded interest of $4.7 billion, before the facility was terminated on January 14, 2011 in connection with the Recapitalization.