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The federal tax refund can never be used to pay state taxes owed. You are just seeing a math issue on the TurboTax website trying to show the total money you will be receiving. It in no way indicates the state taxes will be paid from the federal refund.
You must have misunderstood the summary at the end. That summary just nets out the difference between your federal refund and your state tax due. Your state tax due cannot be paid from your federal refund. You have to pay the state yourself.
The federal and state treasuries are completely separate from each other.
Your state tax due cannot be paid from a federal refund.
And….your federal tax due cannot be paid from a state refund.
Neither refund can be used to pay the amount due to the other one.
If you owe tax due, you have to pay it yourself by the filing deadline on April 15, 2026.
If you have federal tax due you can pay by mailing your payment with the 1040V voucher, (which has the address printed on it, having the payment taken out of a designated bank account, or you can pay directly on the IRS website.
https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-payments/help/how-can-i-pay-my-federal-taxes/00/26212
To apply for a payment plan with the IRS
Apply Online for a Payment Plan
You must pay your state tax due using the state’s preferred method of receiving payment. For most states that will be by making a payment to the state’s own tax website, or by mailing a check or money order.
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