Just over two weeks remain until the annual ISA contribution deadline.

After this date, ISA relief will close permanently for the current tax year. Any fresh contributions will be included in next year’s benefit.

With that in mind, here are three things I’m doing now in preparation.

1. Find out how much free benefit you have left

The exact amount varies for some investors depending on their age and type of ISA fund, but as a general rule most British adults receive an annual ISA contribution amount of £20,000.

Some have already used up their full limit long ago. However, many people will still benefit from some or all of their unused tax-free allowance for the current tax year.

A straightforward but useful first step now is to estimate how much unused allowance (if any) is left in the current tax year before the ISA deadline arrives.

Please note that tax treatment depends on each client’s individual situation and may change in the future. The content of this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be and does not constitute any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for conducting their own due diligence and obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.

2. Consider how to fill the gap

If this year’s relief is not used by the end of the tax year next month, it will be forfeited.

However, investing is only one of the spending priorities in life. At any given time, many of us may have other crucial needs that are draining our bank balance.

So I think now is a good time to sit down and take a moment to decide how much I can realistically put into my ISA before the end of the current tax year.

Some people leave it to the last minute. However, financial planning can take time, as can money transfers. That’s why I’m leaving nothing to chance in the countdown to this year’s contribution deadline.

3. Think about the best ISA to utilize

Another, related question is what ISA to put this money into.

There is a wide range of stocks and shares ISAs available on the market. Each has its own features and benefits, as well as a different cost structure.

Now is a good time to decide which contribution is appropriate for future contributions in the current tax year.

I’m doing something different

While these three tasks seem to me to require immediate attention, investing your money may not be as urgent.

As the name suggests, slow contribution allowance is intended for putting money into an ISA. But once it’s in your tax wrapper, you can invest in it at any time.

There’s no rush. That said, I think there are some UK shares worth considering at the moment.

To take Greggs (LSE: GRG) as an example.

The Greggs share price has fallen 14% over the last year. Appetite for confectioners has waned due to threats including higher National Insurance payments eating into profits, weight loss drugs hurting customer demand, and indigent demand planning depressing earnings. This happened last summer and may happen again.

Still, from a long-term perspective, I think the decline has probably been exaggerated.

Greggs has thousands of stores and a huge number of customers. Its value proposition is robust because few, if any, national competitors offer equivalent products at a similar price. Greggs’ economies of scale lend a hand a lot with this.

Will this change? Greggs continues to grow – and I think it can do so in the coming years. I’m going to stick with my Greggs shares.