If your looking for some extra cash to help put presents under your Christmas tree this year, the IRS may be able to help. Four million dollars in undelivered tax refunds and child tax credit checks are waiting to be claimed. Nearly 7,000 Illinois taxpayers did not receive their checks because they moved or got married and changed their name. It's not too late to collect, but you only have a few days left. The IRS says you have only until Friday to update your name or address to get your refund by the end of the year.

Below is list of local taxpayers who might find a little bit more under the tree this Christmas:

CHICAGO, IL-The Internal Revenue Service has money for nearly 7,000 Illinois taxpayers whose income tax refunds or advance child tax credit checks were returned to the agency as undeliverable.

The agency's list of undelivered checks for Illinois taxpayers this year totals almost $4 million and includes 3,120 regular income tax refunds worth over $2.1 million-an average of $562 per check. The checks range from a low of $1 to over $39,000.

The list also includes an additional 4,018 advance child tax credit checks, worth about $1.8 million, that were mailed to taxpayers this past summer. The IRS says taxpayers who want the benefit of this advance child tax credit payment must update their addresses by Dec. 5 so the checks can be reissued before Dec. 31, 2003. Taxpayers who miss the cutoff for the advance payment will still be able to claim the credit when they complete their 2003 tax return next year.

Nationally, the IRS has more than $118 million for nearly 200,000 taxpayers. This includes over 115,000 advance child tax credit checks worth more than $50 million and about 92,000 regular tax refunds totaling more than $66 million-an average of $722 per check.

Taxpayers can track both their income tax refund and their advance child tax credit check on the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov. In many cases, taxpayers will also get instructions they need to resolve problems. "Where's My Refund?" provides information about regular tax refunds and "Where's My Advance Child Tax Credit?" provides information about the child tax credit checks. To use these search features, taxpayers enter information including their Social Security number and their filing status (such as single or married filing jointly). Taxpayers will also need to enter the refund amount shown on their 2002 tax return. To get information on the advance child tax credit, taxpayers must also enter the number of exemptions shown on their 2002 tax return.

Taxpayers without access to the Internet who think they may be missing a refund or advance child tax credit check should first check their records or contact their tax preparer before calling the IRS toll-free assistance line at 1-800-829-1040 to update their address.

Sue Hales, spokeswoman for the IRS in northern Illinois, said there are several reasons why checks don't reach taxpayers. "Most often it's because of a move or a major life change," said Hales. "A marriage or a name change often causes an address change. If neither the IRS nor the U.S. Postal Service is notified of this change, a check sent to the last known address will be returned to the IRS." Taxpayers who move should notify the IRS by filing Form 8822, Change of Address. Form 8822 is available on irs.gov or by calling 1-800-829-3676.

Hales said taxpayers can avoid undelivered refund checks by having their refunds deposited directly into a personal bank account. Direct deposit also guards against theft or lost refund checks. The option is available on both paper and e-filed returns. Direct deposit was not available for the advance child tax credit checks mailed last summer.