LOANS (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 loan	Mar. 31, 2011 loan
Loans receivable
Number of days past due, default status (in days)	60
Consumer | Commercial market loans
Loans receivable
Number of days past due, default status (in days)	90
Consumer | In North America Offices
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	93,361	258,644
Pre-modification recorded investment	$ 1,347	$ 3,439
Post-modification recorded investment	1,344	3,470
Deferred principal		52
Contingent principal forgiveness		13
Principal forgiveness	13
Loans in default	639	950
Consumer | In North America Offices | Residential First Mortgage Loans
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	5,618	10,116
Pre-modification recorded investment	744	1,569
Post-modification recorded investment	746	1,627
Deferred principal		39
Contingent principal forgiveness		13
Principal forgiveness	11
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	3.00%	2.00%
Loans in default	412	437
Consumer | In North America Offices | Home equity loans
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	2,655	6,562
Pre-modification recorded investment	109	361
Post-modification recorded investment	107	362
Deferred principal		13
Principal forgiveness	2
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	4.00%	4.00%
Loans in default	29	25
Consumer | In North America Offices | Credit cards
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	65,236	211,881
Pre-modification recorded investment	345	1,258
Post-modification recorded investment	345	1,253
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	17.00%	19.00%
Loans in default	165	469
Consumer | In North America Offices | Installment and other
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	19,817	29,787
Pre-modification recorded investment	147	230
Post-modification recorded investment	146	228
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	6.00%	4.00%
Loans in default	33	19
Consumer | In North America Offices | Commercial market loans
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	35	298
Pre-modification recorded investment	2	21
Consumer | In offices outside North America
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	65,947	111,414
Pre-modification recorded investment	275	447
Post-modification recorded investment	256	435
Principal forgiveness	2	7
Loans in default	100	236
Consumer | In offices outside North America | Residential First Mortgage Loans
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	587	1,511
Pre-modification recorded investment	35	76
Post-modification recorded investment	34	74
Principal forgiveness	1	2
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	1.00%	1.00%
Loans in default	11	36
Consumer | In offices outside North America | Home equity loans
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	16	19
Pre-modification recorded investment	1	1
Post-modification recorded investment	1	1
Loans in default		1
Consumer | In offices outside North America | Credit cards
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	53,171	70,962
Pre-modification recorded investment	147	190
Post-modification recorded investment	145	188
Principal forgiveness		1
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	30.00%	20.00%
Loans in default	51	116
Consumer | In offices outside North America | Installment and other
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	12,153	38,919
Pre-modification recorded investment	77	177
Post-modification recorded investment	76	172
Principal forgiveness		4
Average interest rate reduction (as a percent)	17.00%	8.00%
Loans in default	38	83
Consumer | In offices outside North America | Commercial market loans
Loans receivable
Number of loans modified	20	3
Pre-modification recorded investment	15	3
Principal forgiveness	$ 1