As tax season begins, the Indiana Department of Revenue is providing taxpayers with advice.

Returns should be in the mail by April 18. People get a few extra days this year because Friday, April 15 is Emancipation Day, a public holiday in Washington D.C., followed by the weekend.

As the Department of Revenue continues processing payments sent in by the Nov. 16 deadline, it now says more than 65,000 taxpayers have sent in about $137 million, with that number expected to grow even more.

Hoosiers who owe back taxes have only a few days left to take advantage of Indiana's 2015 tax amnesty program. The program, which began in mid-September, ends Monday.

Indiana officials hope public seminars on Tax Amnesty 2015 will increase participation and payment of back taxes.

Individual income tax revenues performed better than expected, while sales tax collections came in slightly below target. But corporate income taxes badly missed the mark - 60 percent off expectations.

Andrew Kossack is an attorney who once served as Indiana's public access counselor.