Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016	[1]	Mar. 31, 2016	[1]	Dec. 31, 2015	[1]	Sep. 30, 2015	[1]	Jun. 30, 2015	[1]	Mar. 31, 2015	[1]	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Equity in net income attributable to AB Unitholders	$ 78,630		$ 55,925		$ 44,657		$ 60,177		$ 56,890		$ 48,387		$ 53,799		$ 51,008		$ 239,389	$ 210,084	$ 200,931
Income taxes																	22,803	24,320	22,463
Net income	$ 72,664		$ 50,258		$ 39,072		$ 54,592		$ 51,087		$ 42,086		$ 47,614		$ 44,977		$ 216,586	$ 185,764	$ 178,468
Net income per unit:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.77	[1],[2]	$ 0.52	[1],[2]	$ 0.40	[2]	$ 0.55	[2]	$ 0.53	[2]	$ 0.42	[2]	$ 0.47	[2]	$ 0.45	[2]	$ 2.24	$ 1.87	$ 1.84
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.77	[1],[2]	$ 0.52	[1],[2]	$ 0.40	[2]	$ 0.55	[2]	$ 0.52	[2]	$ 0.42	[2]	$ 0.47	[2]	$ 0.45	[2]	$ 2.23	$ 1.86	$ 1.84

[1] Certain prior-period amounts have been revised, see Note 2 for a discussion of the revision.

[2] Basic and diluted net income per unit are computed independently for each of the periods presented. Accordingly, the sum of the quarterly net income per unit amounts may not agree to the total for the year.