why does the free turbo tax want a payment when you try to file?

To view what you were charged for:

Gog into TurboTax

1. On the left sidebar toward the bottom
2. Click Intuit Account
3. A screen with boxes will show up
4. From the left sidebar
5. Select Products and Billing

The Free edition is for very simple tax returns. 

You can start for free; however, if the software requires more advanced features, there will be an additional charge.

Situations covered (assuming no added tax complexity):

• W-2 income
• Interest or dividends (1099-INT/1099-DIV) that don’t require filing a Schedule B
• IRS standard deduction
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Child Tax Credit (CTC)
• Student loan interest deduction

Situations not covered:

• Itemized deductions claimed on Schedule A
• Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
• Business or 1099-NEC income
• Stock sales (including crypto investments)
• Rental property income
• Credits, deductions and income reported on other forms or schedules

Select [Start for Free] on the TurboTax Website.