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Regulatory Matters and Capital Adequacy (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule Of Compliance With Regulatory Capital Requirements Under Banking Regulations [Abstract] |
Regulatory capital ratios | The following table presents the regulatory capital ratios for the Company and the Banks:
|  |  |  | Tier 1 |  |  | Total |  | Tier 1 capital |  | Total capital |  | Tier 1 |
(Millions, except percentages) |  |  | Capital |  |  | capital |  | ratio |  | ratio |  | leverage ratio |
December 31, 2011: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| American Express Company |  | $ | 14,881 |  | $ | 17,271 |  | 12.3 | % | 14.3 | % | 10.2 | %
| American Express Centurion Bank |  | $ | 6,029 |  | $ | 6,431 |  | 18.8 | % | 20.1 | % | 19.1 | %
| American Express Bank, FSB |  | $ | 6,493 |  | $ | 7,363 |  | 17.4 | % | 19.8 | % | 18.4 | % (a)
December 31, 2010: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| American Express Company |  | $ | 13,100 |  | $ | 15,528 |  | 11.1 | % | 13.1 | % | 9.3 | %
| American Express Centurion Bank |  | $ | 5,771 |  | $ | 6,170 |  | 18.3 | % | 19.5 | % | 19.4 | %
| American Express Bank, FSB |  | $ | 5,586 |  | $ | 6,424 |  | 16.3 | % | 18.8 | % | 16.1 | % (a)
Well-capitalized ratios(b) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6.0 | % | 10.0 | % | 5.0 | % (c)
Minimum capital ratios(b) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.0 | % | 8.0 | % | 4.0 | %
FSB leverage ratio represents Tier 1 core capital ratio (as defined by OCC regulations applicable to federal savings banks), calculated simil arly to Tier 1 leverage ratio. (b) As defined by the regulations issu ed by the Federal Reserve, OCC and FDIC. (c) Represents requirements for banking subsidiaries to be considered “well capitalized” pursuant to regulations issued under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act. There is no “well capitalized” definition for the Tier 1 leverage ratio for a bank holding company.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the capital amounts and ratios as of the balance sheet date, indicating whether the entity or entities are in compliance with regulatory capital requirements, by entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 505 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6918689&loc=SL5958570-112826 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 505 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1G -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6918689&loc=SL5958577-112826 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG) -Number AAG-DEP -Chapter 17 -Paragraph 18 -IssueDate 2006-05-01 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 505 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1H -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6918689&loc=d3e65071-112826 -Subparagraph (c)(2) Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 505 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6918689&loc=SL5958568-112826 + Details
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