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Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company) (Condensed Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2023 | Sep. 30, 2023 | Jun. 30, 2023 | Mar. 31, 2023 | Dec. 31, 2022 | Sep. 30, 2022 | Jun. 30, 2022 | Mar. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2023 | Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2021
Cash flows from operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income (loss) | $ 607 | $ 489 | $ 402 | $ 80 | $ 1,578 | $ 1,162 | $ 910 | $ 1,634 | $ 1,578 | $ 5,284 | $ 6,855
(Gains) losses on investments and from sales of businesses, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,800 | 1,260 | (1,543)
Other, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 197 | 245 | 113
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 13,721 | 13,044 | 12,347
Cash flows from investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 58,816 | 88,937 | 88,839
Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (63,460) | (82,956) | (97,368)
Sales, maturities and repayments of short-term investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 13,117 | 14,094 | 20,871
Purchases of short-term investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (14,000) | (11,741) | (24,148)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,145 | 4,524 | 3,453
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (5,662) | (7,793) | (7,990)
Other, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (143) | (63) | (46)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (10,246) | (2,620) | (11,187)
Cash flows from financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,283) | (10,730) | 1,883
Long-term debt issued |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,989 | 1,013 | 29
Long-term debt repaid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,035) | (85) | (582)
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,103) | (3,326) | (4,303)
Redemption of preferred stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | (494)
Preferred stock redemption premium |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | (6)
Dividends on preferred stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (198) | (185) | (195)
Dividends on common stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,566) | (1,598) | (1,647)
Other, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (139) | (236) | 22
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,940) | (9,948) | (1,126)
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, beginning of year |  |  |  | 20,195 |  |  |  |  | 20,195 |  |
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, end of year | 20,639 |  |  |  | 20,195 |  |  |  | 20,639 | 20,195 |
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,833 | 1,056 | 1,102
Parent Company |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash flows from operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,578 | 5,284 | 6,855
Earnings of subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,199) | (5,619) | (6,296)
Dividends from subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,780 | 5,168 | 4,830
(Gains) losses on investments and from sales of businesses, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (134) | (332) | (1,655)
Other, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 158 | (73) | 23
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,183 | 4,428 | 3,757
Cash flows from investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,093 | 1,609 | 5,078
Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (973) | (2,757) | (4,371)
Sales, maturities and repayments of short-term investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,330 | 0 | 0
Purchases of short-term investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,375) | 0 | 0
Net change in short-term investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 156
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 161 | 296 | 111
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (155) | (103) | (27)
Sales of businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 3,902
Expense paid on behalf of subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4) | (10) | (15)
Receipts on loans to subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 250 | 150 | 195
Issuances of loans to subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (460) | (210) | (230)
Returns of capital from subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 | 8 | 13
Capital contributions to subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (528) | (5) | (88)
Other, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3) | 15 | 9
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,342 | (1,007) | 4,733
Cash flows from financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 111 | 1 | 88
Long-term debt issued |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,986 | 1,000 | 496
Long-term debt repaid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,000) | 0 | (996)
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,103) | (3,326) | (4,303)
Redemption of preferred stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | (494)
Preferred stock redemption premium |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | (6)
Dividends on preferred stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (198) | (185) | (195)
Dividends on common stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,566) | (1,598) | (1,647)
Other, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (24) | 16 | 87
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,794) | (4,092) | (6,970)
Change in cash and cash equivalents |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,731 | (671) | 1,520
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, beginning of year |  |  |  | $ 1,290 |  |  |  | $ 1,961 | 1,290 | 1,961 | 441
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, end of year | $ 3,021 |  |  |  | $ 1,290 |  |  |  | 3,021 | 1,290 | 1,961
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net cash paid for Interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 852 | 800 | 853
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (165) | (129) | 18
Non-cash transactions: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends from subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 14
Returns of capital from subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 | 12 | 7
Capital contributions to subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 11 | 15
Amounts paid to (received from) subsidiaries, net | Parent Company |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (671) | (214) | (110)
Income tax paid (received) by MetLife, Inc., net | Parent Company |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 506 | $ 85 | $ 128

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