Update: I did more follow up, and I'm providing this info in case others have the same question. The desktop program will ask for payment information in this situation because there IS still a fee attached to the filling of a state return. But it is not until I go all the way through the process up to the point of actually filing, that the program provides me with the information of what is actually being charged. At that point, then, it is clear that there is no fee assigned to the federal filing.
