Introduction and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Introduction and Basis of Presentation	Sep. 30, 2015
Introduction and Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Introduction And Basis Of Presentation	1. Introduction and Basis of Presentation. The Company. Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, is a global financial services firm that maintains significant market positions in each of its business segments—Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management. Morgan Stanley, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, provides a wide variety of products and services to a large and diversified group of clients and customers, including corporations, governments, financial institutions and individuals. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Morgan Stanley” or the “Company” mean Morgan Stanley (the “Parent”) together with its consolidated subsidiaries. For a summary of the activities of each of the Company’s business segments, see Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (the “2014 Form 10-K”). Basis of Financial Information. The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which require the Company to make estimates and assumptions regarding the valuations of certain financial instruments, the valuation of goodwill and intangible assets, compensation, deferred tax assets, the outcome of legal and tax matters, allowance for credit losses and other matters that affect its condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. The Company believes that the estimates utilized in the preparation of its condensed consolidated financial statements are prudent and reasonable. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the 2014 Form 10-K. Certain footnote disclosures included in the 2014 Form 10-K have been condensed or omitted from the condensed consolidated financial statements as they are not required for interim reporting under U.S. GAAP. The condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the results for the interim period. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. Consolidation. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and other entities in which the Company has a controlling financial interest, including certain variable interest entities (“VIE”) (see Note 12). For consolidated subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned, the third-party holdings of equity interests are referred to as noncontrolling interests. The net income attributable to noncontrolling interests for such subsidiaries is presented as Net income (loss) applicable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of income. The portion of shareholders’ equity of such subsidiaries that is attributable to noncontrolling interests for such subsidiaries is presented as Nonredeemable noncontrolling interests, a component of total equity, in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of financial condition. For a discussion of the Company’s VIEs and its significant regulated U.S. and international subsidiaries, see Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in the 2014 Form 10-K. Income Statement Presentation. The Company, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, provides a wide variety of products and services to a large and diversified group of clients and customers, including corporations, governments, financial institutions and individuals. In connection with the delivery of the various products and services to clients, the Company manages its revenues and related expenses in the aggregate. As such, when assessing the performance of its businesses, primarily in its Institutional Securities business segment, the Company considers its trading, investment banking, commissions and fees, and interest income, along with the associated interest expense, as one integrated activity. Statements of Cash Flows Presentation. During 2015, the Company deconsolidated approximately $191 million in net assets previously attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests that were related to a real estate fund sponsored by the Company. The deconsolidation resulted in a non-cash reduction of assets of $169 million. During 2014, the Company deconsolidated approximately $1.6 billion in net assets previously attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests related to certain legal entities associated with another real estate fund sponsored by the Company. The deconsolidation resulted in a non-cash reduction of assets of $1.3 billion. Global Oil Merchanting Business. As a result of entering into a definitive agreement to sell the global oil merchanting unit of the commodities division to Castleton Commodities International LLC, on May 11, 2015, the Company recognized an impairment charge of $10 million and $69 million in Other revenues in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of income in the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, to reduce the carrying amount of the unit to its estimated fair value less costs to sell. The Company closed the transaction on November 1, 2015. The transaction does not meet the criteria for discontinued operations and is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial results (see Note 3). TransMontaigne. On July 1, 2014, the Company completed the sale of its ownership stake in TransMontaigne Inc. (“TransMontaigne”), a U.S.-based oil storage, marketing and transportation company, as well as related physical inventory and the assumption of the Company’s obligations under certain terminal storage contracts, to NGL Energy Partners LP. The gain on sale, which was included in continuing operations, was approximately $101 million for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2014. CanTerm. On March 27, 2014, the Company completed the sale of Canterm Canadian Terminals Inc. (“CanTerm”), a public storage terminal operator for refined products with two distribution terminals in Canada. As a result of the Company’s level of continuing involvement with CanTerm, the results of CanTerm are reported as a component of continuing operations within the Company’s Institutional Securities business segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2014. The gain on sale was approximately $45 million and is included in the condensed consolidated statement of income for the nine months ended September 30, 2014.