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Long-term Incentive Compensation Plans (Details) (USD $)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Long-term Incentive Compensation Plans [Abstract]    
Holding units purchased in period (in units) 0.7us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares 0.2us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
Dollar amount paid for holding units acquired $ 17,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue $ 3,700,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
Open-market purchases of holding units (in units) 0.6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesPurchasedForAward  
Dollar amount paid for open-market purchases of holding units 15,100,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfEquity  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Units issued upon options exercised (in units) 0.2us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised  
Proceeds from stock options exercised $ 3,901,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised $ 4,656,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
Employees and Eligible Directors [Member]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Restricted holding unit awards to employees (in units) 0.1us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationGross
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= ab_EmployeesAndEligibleDirectorsMember
0.2us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationGross
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= ab_EmployeesAndEligibleDirectorsMember