Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2009 Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member] Education Lending [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Series B Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2008 Series B Preferred Stock
Shareholders Equity (Textuals) [Abstract]
Treasury Stock, Value							$ 2,500,000,000
Addition in consolidated assets due to the adoption of new accounting guidance for education loan securitization trusts						2,800,000,000
Addition in consolidated liabilities due to the adoption of new accounting guidance for education loan securitization trusts						2,800,000,000
Issuance of preferred stock to the U.S. Treasury								2,500,000,000
Shareholders Equity (Additional Textuals) [Abstract]
Amortization of discount on preferred stock including deemed dividend		49,000,000	49,000,000
Elimination of dividends	31,000,000
Discount amortization	4,000,000			140,000,000
Amount paid to US treasury during the investment period			2,867,000,000
Return to US treasury above initial investment			367,000,000
Cumulative effect adjustment after-tax to retained earnings					$ 45,000,000