Hi, I purchased a copy of TurboTax deluxe not knowing it is only for federal returns. My income was $7,900 for 2018 and I can’t afford to pay for the state return.

[xmasbaby0]

Major tax reform and major changes in the tax forms have also resulted in changes to the tax software.

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY?  I WANT THE FREE EDITION

The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now.  Thanks to the new tax laws, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's.  Everything goes on a little “postcard-size” Form 1040 that has six extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition.  Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.

https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040 

If you qualify to use it, there is another free version of the software:

Try Free File: 

You qualify if your income was $34,000 or less, or $66,000 or less if active duty military, or if you qualify for Earned Income Credit

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program

• https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2026912-how-do-i-switch-to-turbotax-free-file-program

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4511011-what-happened-to-the-1040a-and-1040ez

Note:  If you do not qualify to use Free File then you will have to upgrade to Deluxe or higher in the paid versions of the software.   

[xmasbaby0]

We cannot tell what you actually used or are using since your post indicates you are in the Free Edition.  Did you buy desktop Basic?  That does not include state software, or if you bought desktop Deluxe--there are some versions that include state software and some that do not.  If you already purchased and used desktop Deluxe to prepare your federal return, then another option would be to just have a copy of your federal return handy and get the forms from the state's website and prepare your state return by hand, then mail it in.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901670-how-do-i-contact-my-state-department-of-revenue