@ taxuser3
You are using the wrong terminology, which is what is confusing you. The TurboTax Edition you upgraded to and are using is called PREMIER (not "Premium"). Premium Services is something different as I'll explain below. Granted, those 2 terms (Premier and Premium) are similar and confusing.
There is no fee for direct deposit. That's a free service provided by the IRS. You do not have to buy Premium Services to get direct deposit.
If you are a California filer and chose to pay the 24.99 state efile fee out of your Federal refund, that payment option requires Premium Services Bundle, which is an additional 44.99. Premium Services includes that payment method plus some additional features (see the FAQ below). You can avoid Premium Services and that 44.99 fee by instead paying the 24.99 state efile fee upfront with credit/debit card.
FAQ: What is the Premium Services bundle?
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/choosing-a-product/help/what-is-the-premium-services-bundle/00/255...
So if you chose to pay your 24.99 fee out of your Federal refund, then back up to the Payment section, and see if you can get back to a payment screen to choose to pay by credit/debit card instead and avoid the 44.99 Premium Service fee. Or if you didn't choose that "pay out of refund" method, just continue on to the next screen, and see if it will then have a screen to pay the 24.99 by credit/debit card.
NOTE: If you are asked to read and agree to a banking agreement for Premium Services, then you have gone too far and need to back up and go through that Payment section again to get to a credit/debit card screen.
Once you pay by card, that should remove the Premium Services fee. Whatever you do, just don't proceed to actually efile (i.e., do not click on the "Transmit" button) until you are sure you have entered your card information and paid your 24.99 fee with a credit/debit card and thus removed Premium Services.
