Those who do not have or have limited access to banking services are the most likely to use alternative financial services. "Unbanked" refers to individuals, families, or families who do not have checking or savings accounts at large banks or credit unions. In 2015, about 1 million households in the US were unable to use banking services. That is 7% of the population. 

This is based on a survey conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).


There are many reasons why people cannot use banking services, including:

"Restricted access" describes people who have two characteristics: they have regular accounts at banks or credit unions, but they also use alternative financial services to make ends meet. A survey conducted by the FDIC in 2015 showed that around 24.5 million households had restrictions on their banking business. That is almost 20% of the American population.