Why is credit card info required to file a free extension?

[AllisonG]

If you are being asked for a credit card info in Easy Extension, it’s because you added a TurboTax product (to do your taxes later) on a previous screen. The credit card is needed to pay for that product — not the extension.  If you would like to remove the product, go back to the product selection page and click "I'll choose later" at the bottom of the screen.

[Vanessa]

Credit Card info is not needed to file an extension.  If you are being asked for that, you are filing a return instead of the extension.