The Association of Alternative Financial Services Usage and Financial Access: Evidence from the National Financial Capability Study

This study examined the association of financial access and alternative financial services (AFS) using a nationally representative sample from the 2012 National Financial Capability Study (N = 25,509). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between financial access and AFS usage. Ordinary least squares regression was used to estimate the relationship between banked status and the overall AFS usage as a latent variable while controlling for sociodemographic variables, financial education, financial knowledge, and home ownership. Results suggested that being unbanked was positively associated with AFS usage after controlling for other covariates. Financial education and knowledge, age, gender, marital status, education, household income, and homeownership were significantly associated with AFS usage. These findings have implications for public policy and programs that work with the unbanked.