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Fair Values (Details 2) (USD $) | Jun. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
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Financial Liabilities: |  |
Certificates of deposit | $ 10,000,000,000 |
Long Term Debt | 61,395,000,000 | 66,416,000,000
Carrying Value [Member] |  |
Financial Assets: |  |
Assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 68,000,000,000 | 61,000,000,000
Loans, net | 57,000,000,000 | 58,000,000,000
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 48,000,000,000 | 43,000,000,000
Certificates of deposit | 10,000,000,000 | 13,000,000,000
Long Term Debt | 61,000,000,000 | 66,000,000,000
Variable Interest Enterprise [Member] | Fair Value [Member] |  |
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Long Term Debt | 18,400,000,000 | 23,600,000,000
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Gross cardmember receivables available to settle the obligations of a variable interest entity | 7,400,000,000 | 8,100,000,000
Gross cardmember loans available to settle the obligations of a variable interest entity | 31,200,000,000 | 33,200,000,000
Fair Value [Member] |  |
Financial Assets: |  |
Assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 68,000,000,000 | 61,000,000,000
Loans, net | 57,000,000,000 | 58,000,000,000
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 48,000,000,000 | 43,000,000,000
Certificates of deposit | 10,000,000,000 | 13,000,000,000
Long Term Debt | 64,000,000,000 | 69,000,000,000
Variable Interest Enterprise [Member] |  |
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Long Term Debt | 18,113,000,000 | 23,341,000,000
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Gross cardmember receivables available to settle the obligations of a variable interest entity | $ 7,500,000,000 | $ 8,192,000,000

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- Definition Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value include cash and cash equivalents, cardmember receivables, accrued interest, and certain other assets. For these assets, the carrying values approximate fair value because they are short-term in duration or variable rate in nature. + Details
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- Definition Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value include accrued interest, customer deposits (excluding certificates of deposit, which are described further below), Travelers Cheques outstanding, short-term borrowings, and certain other liabilities for which the carrying values approximate fair value because they are short-term in duration, variable rate in nature, or have no defined maturity. + Details
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- Definition Represents the amount of gross loans available to settle the obligations of a consolidated variable interest entity. + Details
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- Definition Represents the amount of gross receivables available to settle the obligations of a consolidated variable interest entity. + Details
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- Definition Represents cardmember loans and other loans, less reserves. + Details
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- Definition Including current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of long-term borrowings as of the balance sheet date. May include notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, which had initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer, and after deducting unamortized discount or premiums, if any. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The aggregate amount of time deposits, including certificates of deposits, individual retirement accounts and open accounts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 12 -Article 9 + Details
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