Income Taxes (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Computation of Effective Income Tax Rate and Changes in Components of Income Tax

AB Holding’s income tax is computed by multiplying certain AB qualifying revenues (primarily U.S. investment advisory fees and brokerage commissions) by AB Holding’s ownership interest in AB, multiplied by the 3.5% tax rate. AB Holding Units in AB’s consolidated rabbi trust are not treated as outstanding for purposes of calculating AB Holding’s ownership interest in AB.

	Three Months Ended September 30,								Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015			2014			% Change		2015			2014			% Change
	(in thousands)								(in thousands)
Net income attributable to AB Unitholders	$	134,976		$	139,798		(3.4	)%	$	425,539		$	392,958		8.3	%
Multiplied by: weighted average equity ownership interest	36.3		%	35.7		%			36.4		%	35.6		%
Equity in net income attributable to AB Unitholders	$	48,988		$	49,876		(1.8	)	$	155,013		$	139,714		11.0
AB qualifying revenues	$	572,391		$	548,319		4.4		$	1,682,390		$	1,581,456		6.4
Multiplied by: weighted average equity ownership interest for calculating tax	30.8		%	29.4		%			30.9		%	29.4		%
Multiplied by: federal tax	3.5		%	3.5		%			3.5		%	3.5		%
Federal income taxes	6,167			5,642					18,171			16,267
State income taxes	134			100					346			300
Total income taxes	$	6,301		$	5,742		9.7		$	18,517		$	16,567		11.8
Effective tax rate	12.9		%	11.5		%			11.9		%	11.9		%