Units Outstanding

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Limited Partners' Capital Account [Abstract]

Units Outstanding

5. Units Outstanding

Changes in Holding Units outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 were as follows:

	2011		2010
Outstanding as of January 1,		105,086,799		101,351,749
Options exercised		86,543		486,017
Units issued		-		3,249,861
Units forfeited		-		(828	)
Outstanding as of December 31,		105,173,342		105,086,799

Units issued pertain to Holding Units newly issued under the AllianceBernstein 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan and could include: (i) restricted Holding Unit awards to Eligible Directors, (ii) restricted Holding Unit awards to eligible employees, (iii) restricted Holding Unit awards for recruitment, and (iv) restricted Holding Unit issuances in connection with certain employee separation agreements.