Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Commercial Lending [Abstract]
Commercial Lending - Investment Grade	$ 17,029,000,000	$ 17,029,000,000	$ 12,330,000,000
Commercial Lending - Non-Investment Grade	15,995,000,000	15,995,000,000	11,919,000,000
William Street credit extension program	30,930,000,000	30,930,000,000	27,383,000,000
Warehouse financing	332,000,000	332,000,000	265,000,000
Total Commitments to Extend Credit	64,286,000,000	64,286,000,000	51,897,000,000
Contingent and forward starting resale and securities borrowing agreements	71,177,000,000	71,177,000,000	46,886,000,000
Forward starting repurchase and securities lending agreements	19,180,000,000	19,180,000,000	12,509,000,000
Underwriting Commitments	188,000,000	188,000,000	835,000,000
Letters of credit	1,668,000,000	1,668,000,000	2,210,000,000
Investment commitments	10,286,000,000	10,286,000,000	11,093,000,000
Other	584,000,000	584,000,000	389,000,000
Total commitments	167,369,000,000	167,369,000,000	125,819,000,000
Leases [Abstract]
Remainder of 2011	251,000,000	251,000,000
2012	493,000,000	493,000,000
2013	428,000,000	428,000,000
2014	399,000,000	399,000,000
2015	366,000,000	366,000,000
2016	333,000,000	333,000,000
2017-thereafter	1,437,000,000	1,437,000,000
Total	3,707,000,000	3,707,000,000
Guarantees [Abstract]
Collateral held by lenders in connection with securities lending indemnifications	33,580,000,000	33,580,000,000
Leases (Textual) [Abstract]
The latest year through which the firm's noncancelable lease agreements extend	2069	2069
Investment Commitments (Textual) [Abstract]
Commitments to invest in real estate private investments	1,860,000,000	1,860,000,000	1,970,000,000
Commitments to invest in corporate and other private investments	8,430,000,000	8,430,000,000	9,120,000,000
Commitments to invest in funds managed by the firm	9,480,000,000	9,480,000,000	10,100,000,000
Credit Extension Program (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit loss protection percentage of first loss on loan commitments provided by SMFG	95.00%	95.00%
Maximum protection of first loss on loan commitments provided by SMFG	approximately $950 million	approximately $950 million
SMFG credit loss protection for additional losses percentage	70.00%	70.00%
Maximum protection on additional losses on loan commitments provided by SMFG	1,130,000,000	1,130,000,000
Protection provided by SMFG for additional losses	300,000,000	300,000,000	375,000,000
Mortgage-Related Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Amount of loans sold to government sponsored enterprises during the period 2005 through 2008		10,000,000,000
Amount of loans sold to other third parties during the period 2005 through 2008		11,000,000,000
Outstanding balance for loans transferred to trusts and other mortgage securitization vehicles during the period 2005 through 2008	45,000,000,000	45,000,000,000
Paydowns and cumulative losses of loans transferred by the firm to trusts and other mortgage securitization vehicles during the period 2005 through 2008		approximately $80 billion
Cumulative losses incurred by trusts and other mortgage securitization vehicles during the period 2005 through 2008		16,000,000,000
Outstanding principal balance of loans relating to Goldman Sachs-issued securitizations that were transferred to trusts and other mortgage securitization vehicles during the period 2005 through 2008 and were structured with credit protection obtained from monoline insurers		683,000,000
Paydowns and cumulative losses of loans relating to Goldman Sachs-issued securitizations that were transferred to trusts and other mortgage securitization vehicles during the period 2005 through 2008 and were structured with credit protection obtained from monoline insurers		1,380,000,000
Cumulative losses incurred by trusts and other mortgage securitization vehicles relating to Goldman Sachs-issued securitizations during the period 2005 through 2008 that were structured with credit protection obtained from monoline insurers		440,000,000
Amount of loss incurred on repurchase of mortgage loans	Less than $10 million	Less than $10 million
Guaranteed Minimum Death And Income Benefits (Textual) [Abstract]
Guaranteed minimum death and income benefits reserve	6,190,000,000	6,190,000,000	6,110,000,000
Weighted average age attained of contract holders	69	69	69
Net amount at risk representing guaranteed minimum death and income benefits in excess of contract holder account balances	1,290,000,000	1,290,000,000	1,600,000,000
Maturities, Year 1 and Year 2 [Member]
Commercial Lending [Abstract]
Commercial Lending - Investment Grade	8,026,000,000	8,026,000,000
Commercial Lending - Non-Investment Grade	4,369,000,000	4,369,000,000
William Street credit extension program	13,907,000,000	13,907,000,000
Warehouse financing	269,000,000	269,000,000
Total Commitments to Extend Credit	26,571,000,000	26,571,000,000
Contingent and forward starting resale and securities borrowing agreements	0	0
Forward starting repurchase and securities lending agreements	0	0
Underwriting Commitments	0	0
Letters of credit	515,000,000	515,000,000
Investment commitments	6,698,000,000	6,698,000,000
Other	124,000,000	124,000,000
Total commitments	33,908,000,000	33,908,000,000
Maturities, Year 1 and Year 2 [Member] | Derivative Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	397,688,000,000	397,688,000,000
Maturities, Year 1 and Year 2 [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	1,251,000,000	1,251,000,000
Maturities, Year 1 and Year 2 [Member] | Securities Lending Indemnification [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	0	0
Maturities, Year 3 and Year 4 [Member]
Commercial Lending [Abstract]
Commercial Lending - Investment Grade	3,788,000,000	3,788,000,000
Commercial Lending - Non-Investment Grade	3,972,000,000	3,972,000,000
William Street credit extension program	9,026,000,000	9,026,000,000
Warehouse financing	0	0
Total Commitments to Extend Credit	16,786,000,000	16,786,000,000
Contingent and forward starting resale and securities borrowing agreements	0	0
Forward starting repurchase and securities lending agreements	0	0
Underwriting Commitments	0	0
Letters of credit	142,000,000	142,000,000
Investment commitments	326,000,000	326,000,000
Other	60,000,000	60,000,000
Total commitments	17,314,000,000	17,314,000,000
Maturities, Year 3 and Year 4 [Member] | Derivative Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	72,796,000,000	72,796,000,000
Maturities, Year 3 and Year 4 [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	490,000,000	490,000,000
Maturities, Year 3 and Year 4 [Member] | Securities Lending Indemnification [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	0	0
Maturities, Year 5 and Thereafter [Member]
Commercial Lending [Abstract]
Commercial Lending - Investment Grade	3,563,000,000	3,563,000,000
Commercial Lending - Non-Investment Grade	5,943,000,000	5,943,000,000
William Street credit extension program	5,704,000,000	5,704,000,000
Warehouse financing	0	0
Total Commitments to Extend Credit	15,210,000,000	15,210,000,000
Contingent and forward starting resale and securities borrowing agreements	0	0
Forward starting repurchase and securities lending agreements	0	0
Underwriting Commitments	0	0
Letters of credit	1,000,000	1,000,000
Investment commitments	923,000,000	923,000,000
Other	25,000,000	25,000,000
Total commitments	16,159,000,000	16,159,000,000
Maturities, Year 5 and Thereafter [Member] | Derivative Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	75,698,000,000	75,698,000,000
Maturities, Year 5 and Thereafter [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	1,188,000,000	1,188,000,000
Maturities, Year 5 and Thereafter [Member] | Securities Lending Indemnification [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	0	0
Maturities, Current Fiscal Year [Member]
Commercial Lending [Abstract]
Commercial Lending - Investment Grade	1,652,000,000	1,652,000,000
Commercial Lending - Non-Investment Grade	1,711,000,000	1,711,000,000
William Street credit extension program	2,293,000,000	2,293,000,000
Warehouse financing	63,000,000	63,000,000
Total Commitments to Extend Credit	5,719,000,000	5,719,000,000
Contingent and forward starting resale and securities borrowing agreements	71,177,000,000	71,177,000,000
Forward starting repurchase and securities lending agreements	19,180,000,000	19,180,000,000
Underwriting Commitments	188,000,000	188,000,000
Letters of credit	1,010,000,000	1,010,000,000
Investment commitments	2,339,000,000	2,339,000,000
Other	375,000,000	375,000,000
Total commitments	99,988,000,000	99,988,000,000
Maturities, Current Fiscal Year [Member] | Derivative Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	282,572,000,000	282,572,000,000
Maturities, Current Fiscal Year [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	249,000,000	249,000,000
Maturities, Current Fiscal Year [Member] | Securities Lending Indemnification [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	32,604,000,000	32,604,000,000
Derivative Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Carrying Value of Net Liability	8,941,000,000	8,941,000,000	8,260,000,000
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	828,754,000,000	828,754,000,000
Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Carrying Value of Net Liability	30,000,000	30,000,000	28,000,000
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	3,178,000,000	3,178,000,000
Securities Lending Indemnification [Member]
Guarantees [Abstract]
Carrying Value of Net Liability	0	0
Maximum Payout/Notional Amount by Period of Expiration	$ 32,604,000,000	$ 32,604,000,000