Income Taxes (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation

Holding's income tax is computed by multiplying certain AllianceBernstein qualifying revenues (primarily U.S. investment advisory fees and brokerage commissions) by Holding's ownership interest in AllianceBernstein, multiplied by the 3.5% tax rate. Since the fourth quarter of 2012, Holding Units in AllianceBernstein's consolidated rabbi trust have not been treated as outstanding for purposes of calculating Holding's ownership interest in AllianceBernstein.

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013			2012			% Change
	(in thousands)
Net income attributable to AllianceBernstein Unitholders	$	114,516		$	87,278			31.2	%
Multiplied by: weighted average equity ownership interest		37.5	%		37.5	%
Equity in net income attributable to AllianceBernstein Unitholders	$	42,997		$	32,707			31.5
AllianceBernstein qualifying revenues	$	482,586		$	449,691			7.3
Multiplied by: weighted average equity ownership interest for calculating tax		27.7	%		37.5	%
Multiplied by: federal tax		3.5	%		3.5	%
Federal income taxes		4,666			5,908			(21.0	)
State income taxes		100			100
Total income taxes	$	4,766		$	6,008			(20.7	)
Effective tax rate		11.1	%		18.4	%