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Fair Values (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
--- | --- | ---
Card Member Loans [Member] |  |
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Financing receivables, gross | $ 73,373 | $ 87,381
Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Financing receivables, gross | 43,701 | 57,413
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] |  |
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Financing receivables, gross | 25,908 | 32,230
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Financing receivables, gross | 4,296 | 8,284
Reported Value Measurement [Member] |  |
Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 33,000 | 24,000
Other financial assets | 46,000 | 60,000
Financial assets carried at other than fair value |  |
Loans, net | 71,000 | 90,000
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 101,000 | 92,000
Financial liabilities carried at other than fair value |  |
Certificates of deposit | 8,000 | 10,000
Long-term debt | 43,000 | 58,000
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |  |
Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 33,000 | 24,000
Other financial assets | 46,000 | 60,000
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 101,000 | 92,000
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Fair Values (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |
Financing receivables, gross | 4,200 | 8,200
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] |  |
Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 31,000 | 23,000
Other financial assets | 0 | 0
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 0 | 0
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] |  |
Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 2,000 | 1,000
Other financial assets | 46,000 | 60,000
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 101,000 | 92,000
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] |  |
Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Other financial assets | 0 | 0
Financial Liabilities: |  |
Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value | 0 | 0
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member] |  |
Financial assets carried at other than fair value |  |
Loans, net | 75,000 | 91,000
Financial liabilities carried at other than fair value |  |
Certificates of deposit | 8,000 | 10,000
Long-term debt | 45,000 | 60,000
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] |  |
Financial liabilities carried at other than fair value |  |
Long-term debt | 13,000 | 19,800
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] |  |
Financial assets carried at other than fair value |  |
Loans, net | 25,800 | 32,000
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] |  |
Financial assets carried at other than fair value |  |
Loans, net | 0 | 0
Financial liabilities carried at other than fair value |  |
Certificates of deposit | 0 | 0
Long-term debt | 0 | 0
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] |  |
Financial assets carried at other than fair value |  |
Loans, net | 0 | 0
Financial liabilities carried at other than fair value |  |
Certificates of deposit | 8,000 | 10,000
Long-term debt | 45,000 | 60,000
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] |  |
Financial assets carried at other than fair value |  |
Loans, net | 75,000 | 91,000
Financial liabilities carried at other than fair value |  |
Certificates of deposit | 0 | 0
Long-term debt | $ 0 | $ 0

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- Definition Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value include cash and cash equivalents, Card Member 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. + References No definition available. + 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), 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. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Fair value portion of deposit liabilities held by the entity, including, but not limited to, foreign and domestic, interest and noninterest bearing, demand deposits, saving deposits, negotiable orders of withdrawal (NOW) and time deposits. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Fair value portion of loan receivable, including, but not limited to, mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196772 + Details
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- Definition The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount, before allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 79 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121647567&loc=SL82922352-210448 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919230-210447 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 80 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121647567&loc=SL82922355-210448 + Details
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