Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Derivatives - Additional Information (Details)

v2.4.0.6
Derivatives - Additional Information (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Derivative [Line Items]    
Cash collateral received $ (27,993,000,000) $ (26,491,000,000)
Cash collateral paid 32,140,000,000 32,984,000,000
Credit risk valuation adjustment related to monoline derivative trading instruments exposure 800,000,000  
Credit valuation gain related to monoline activity (1,098,000,000) [1] 493,000,000 [1]
Derivative liability performance guaranteed by Bank of America 1,300,000,000  
Cash and securities collateral held 38,200,000,000 40,900,000,000
Posted collateral 38,300,000,000 45,200,000,000
Collateral not yet posted to counterparties 1,500,000,000  
Monoline
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Notional value of Monoline derivative credit exposure 12,100,000,000 15,800,000,000
Fair value of monoline derivative credit exposure 900,000,000 1,700,000,000
Credit risk valuation adjustment related to monoline derivative trading instruments exposure 117,000,000 382,000,000
Credit valuation gain related to monoline activity 202,000,000  
Unilateral Derivative Termination Contract
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Posted collateral 700,000,000  
Derivative liability, amount offset against collateral 800,000,000  
Rating Agency Downgrade By One Notch
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Contractually required additional collateral 400,000,000  
Rating Agency Downgrade By One Notch | Unilateral Derivative Termination Contract For Rating Downgrade of Long-Term Senior Debt
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Posted collateral 1,200,000,000  
Derivative liability, amount offset against collateral 1,900,000,000  
Rating Agency Downgrade by Two Notches
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Contractually required additional collateral 4,000,000,000  
Rating Agency Downgrade by Two Notches | Unilateral Derivative Termination Contract For Rating Downgrade of Long-Term Senior Debt
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Posted collateral 700,000,000  
Derivative liability, incremental increase, amount offset against collateral 1,300,000,000  
Other Assets [Member]
    
Derivative [Line Items]    
Credit risk valuation adjustment related to monoline derivative trading instruments exposure $ 1,300,000,000 $ 1,300,000,000
[1] At December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, Merrill Lynch's cumulative DVA reduced the derivative liabilities balance by $0.4 billion and $1.1 billion.