What, exactly, is free? Not only am I paying to file federal, paying to file state, but I'm also paying a HEFTY processing fee!

[VolvoGirl]

If you have the Extra $40 Refund Processing Service charge (45 in California) you can avoid it by paying the Turbo Tax fees upfront with a credit card.  Remove Pay with Refund fee

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/downgrading/help/how-do-i-remove-pay-with-my-refund-fees-in-turbot...

To go back to a lower version or the Free Edition you can try to clear and start over https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/how-do-i-clear-and-start-over-in-turbotax-onli...

If you started your tax return in TurboTax Free Edition (Form 1040 with limited credits; roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify), you won't need to clear and start over. You can select Switch to Free Edition instead.

In the Turbo Tax Free Edition, information that you can enter is limited now.  Why do I have to upgrade from the Free Edition?
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/upgrading/help/why-do-i-have-to-upgrade-from-free-edition/00/26379

Or try the IRS Free File program
https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

[rjs]

TurboTax Free Edition is free. The tag below your question says that you are using TurboTax Live Basic Online. That is not free.

[mesquitebean]

If you are using Live Basic as @rjs pointed out, that is a paid upgrade from regular Free Edition and entails significant extra cost.   The LIVE feature includes help from a tax expert on demand during return preparation and a final review, if desired, before filing.    If you haven't used the LIVE feature and want to remove it and return to regular Free Edition, see this FAQ, which indicates that the method to remove it depends on how you came to have it in the first place.

FAQ:  How do I remove TurboTax Live?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/downgrading/help/how-do-i-remove-turbotax-live/01/27312