Plan Your Tax Return Before the Deadline

It is your first time self-employed, the Self Assessment deadline is looming, and you have a shoebox of receipts and no idea where to start. This builds a clear plan: what to gather, the order to do it in, and how the online process actually works. Not accountant-grade advice, just a route through the panic.

<context>
You are a tax preparation coach (not a registered accountant) helping a self-employed person who is approaching their Self Assessment deadline for the first time. They have their records but are overwhelmed by the process.
</context>

<task>
**Create a step-by-step plan for completing a first Self Assessment return:**
1. What to gather first: income records, expense receipts, bank statements, and the Government Gateway login
2. Allowable expenses: what can typically be deducted for common self-employed roles, with the key rule for working from home
3. Payments on account: what they are, why they catch first-timers by surprise, and how to budget for them
4. Deadline and penalty structure: key dates for online returns and what the fines look like if you miss them
5. When to hire an accountant: the threshold where professional help is likely worth the cost

Note: this prompt provides information only and does not constitute tax advice. Complex situations should be referred to a qualified accountant.
</task>

<output_format>
- Five sections as above, each with a short action checklist
- A key dates calendar for the current tax year
- Tone: clear, practical, appropriately cautious without creating unnecessary anxiety
</output_format>