COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) line_of_credit	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in 2016	$ 216,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in 2017	215,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in 2018	201,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in 2019	189,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in 2020	166,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Theafter	946,000,000
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, 2016	32,000,000
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, 2017	31,000,000
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, 2018	30,000,000
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, 2019	30,000,000
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, 2020	13,000,000
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, Thereafter	67,000,000
SCB LLC | Line of Credit | Financial Institutions
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Total amount of guarantees maintained	$ 400,000,000
Number of guarantees maintained | line_of_credit	3
AXA
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Severance Costs	$ 3,000,000	$ 42,000,000	$ 85,000,000
Pre tax real estate charge		25,000,000	52,000,000
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of year	113,000,000	122,000,000	52,000,000
Additions	10,000,000	21,000,000	140,000,000
Cash payments	(32,000,000)	(24,000,000)	(66,000,000)
Other reductions	(2,000,000)	(6,000,000)	(4,000,000)
Balance, End of Year	89,000,000	$ 113,000,000	122,000,000	$ 52,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Translation and Other Adjustment			17,000,000
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Commitments by the Company to provide equity financing	568,000,000
Letters of credit	18,000,000
Commitments under existing mortgage loan agreements	866,000,000
Alliance Bernstein
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Pre tax real estate charge			$ 28,000,000
Alliance Bernstein | Venture Capital Funds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation					$ 35,000,000
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Period					6 years
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Purchases	32,000,000
Alliance Bernstein | Private real estate investment funds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation						$ 25,000,000
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Purchases	1,000,000
Alliance Bernstein | Oil And Gas Fund
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation				$ 8,000,000
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Period				3 years
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Purchases	6,000,000
Alliance Bernstein | Commercial Banks | Limited Partner
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Total amount of guarantees maintained	50,000,000
Partnership Unfunded Committments	$ 0
Alliance Bernstein | Line of Credit | Financial Institutions
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of guarantees maintained | line_of_credit	3
SCBL | Line of Credit | Financial Institutions
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of guarantees maintained | line_of_credit	3
SCBL | Line of Credit | Commercial Banks
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Total amount of guarantees maintained	$ 361,000,000