Why pay $45 for audit defense for state tax filing when none is needed or required for federal filing?

[brianmq2113]

The filing for CA state taxes requires $45 audit defense added to CA filing of $15 according to TurboTax billing.  Printing the state taxes is about $10, postal costs of $15 for sending the tax return to Sacramento for a total of $25.  Why should I pay TurboTax $60 for digitally filing my state taxes?

[DoninGA]

No. the Audit Defense is not required.  Just pay with your credit card the $25 state e-file fee if that is what you want to do. 

Otherwise go back to the start of the File section and select Do not e-file the state return at this time.

Then e-file the federal return.  After that is done go back to the start of the File section and select File by mail.  Then select you do not want to mail your federal return at this time.  Print the state tax return so you will not be charged for the state e-file fee.

[brianmq2113]

Great, I literally did what you said to do.  I filed my federal form on line and printed my state forms to send off to the state.  It cost me $8 to copy the state forms (together with required copies of my federal forms) since I wanted a hardcopy of my state forms.  I couldn't read my state tax forms (CA form 540), so I copied a form 540 from the internet, input the TurboTax numbers into the form 540, took it to the post office.  It cost me $12 to send it to the state filing location.  Total state filing was $20.  If I paid using TurboTax $25.  Savings: $5 and the state taxing authority can read my mailed state tax forms.  TurboTax is a r__off if I tried to use it to file my state taxes on line.