Routine physical examination/Carlos Pueblo

Routine physical examination/Carlos Pueblo

In order to keep enough medicine for my nearly seven weeks trip to Europe,

I went to the clinic to have a physical examination basically by drawing blood.

Three weeks later, the nurse of the clinic called me back for another blood test

for prostate index reading. The Medicare , senior healthcare, has a thoughtful

system to prevent a sudden discovery of illness. I have a diabetes ; therefore,

I must have routine health examination and eye examination to trace the blood

sugar.

I walk 2.2 miles a day for about 20 years, in addition to that walking, I play tennis

three times in a week. Recently I am on a healthy diet not very much fruits and

more vegetable. Most of the result from the physical is normal and the intake dose

maintains certain level most of the time. With this physical, I can travel almost any

time in a year to where able I can go.

At the beginning, I would go back to Taiwan for visiting, then gradually, I extend my

trip to Japan, Europe, and Argentina. Because of the foreign travel, I also need to

review some basic foreign language like to prepare the medicine. It has occupied more

and more of my retirement life.

After 65, I have been under the Medicare advantage program, a HMO system which

has a certain routine to manage the patient’s healthcare. The older I have been, the

urgent need that I must have such care in order to maintain a healthy physical condition.

I see most of the patients waiting inside the clinics, both the family and eyes, are senior

citizen who have the insurance and time to take care of their physical being.

例行體檢/莊峻華

例行體檢/莊峻華

我因為準備遠行，準備日常三種用藥，到診所體檢驗血，我忘記多久

體檢一次？一般說來，醫生要我三、四個月，體檢一次，決定血糖控

制效果，最近，眼科醫生，也規定要定期追蹤眼睛血糖，美國老人健

保，非常有效率，當然，我個人也注意運動，身心調和，不為碎事煩

惱。

有天訪問峻嚴，一位診所護士電話來，提到驗血結果，接著要我找時

間，回診所驗血，查攝護腺指數，峻嚴就在旁解釋，說是醫生肛門測

試，只是初步，驗血比較詳細，原來醫生也有團隊，隨時檢查病例，

查看平素體檢項目，就連眼科護士，也隨時詢問，感冒預苗注射等，

有時候我也不清楚。

我自己之體檢方法，首先觀察每日清晨，2.2哩路之散步，這也是一日

之社交機會，我可以遇見許多鄰居，還有許多愛犬和愛貓，散步時間拉

長，最近注意到一位鄰居，每日散步15哩路，早上走到中午，身體十分

黝黑健壯，令我羨慕，我已經開始增加，散步時間和次數。

另外一日常運動，就是每週三次之網球，老隊長已經準備搬家，搬到老人

公寓，新蓋之公寓，有醫療設備，有醫護專人，可以買斷，離開公寓時，

可以退款90%，老隊長尚可網球，夫人則缺乏日常運動，稍有狀況，搬遷

後，球隊解散，我已經開始安排，投奔他方，我在20年前，加入此球隊，

當年例會，多有四對雙打，現在僅存三人，而且是老弱殘兵，我希望我能

繼續網球運動。

兩診所都有好生意，門庭若市，醫生親切，連帶整個護理團隊，內科診所

，有22位內科醫生，一半是女醫，有一專設藥局，藥劑師都是藥學博士，

非常有效率；眼科醫生，上次拯救我之白內障失敗手術，妙手回春，也是

病患眾多，九點約見，一直到11點半，始完成例行檢查，醫生一直道歉，

護士兩位，也是忙得團團轉，下次眼睛檢查，我就約到首班七點半。

Visiting Europe in April, 2016/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Europe in April, 2016/Carlos Pueblo

In April, I shall take a transatlantic cruise from Houston to Barcelona, Spain.

European trip will continue until June for a total of 7 weeks while I am

going through Spain, England, Ireland, France, and Germany etc. at least

5 nations, and in September this year, I shall repeat it again by flying to

Frankfurt, Germany and coming back with the same ship in November. I

consider myself in a good life for the time being.

Preparing for the trip, I am taking out of the Spanish and French language

textbooks to review, of course, it may not be necessary; however I like to

learn foreign language anyway. People appreciate my effort more when I

attempt to speak their language. I shall stay in Barcelona for 3 days, 2 days

in London, 5 days in Dublin, 10 days each in Paris and Frankfurt.

I like Europe because of convenient public transportation, amazing history

and civilization, and charming scenery. Recently, I watched an old program

on internet introducing Ireland and found that was very interesting. The

territory of Ireland is about 1.9 time larger that Taiwan with a population

of 4.5 million which is 20 million less that Taiwan. The introduction has pointed

out that Ireland has an average gross domestic product higher than the Great

Britain and I double check the report that is at the right level with the U.S.

I like to know the reasons why make the situation so amazing, and why there

are about 50 thousands Irish national wondering in U.S. as Nancy Pelosi indicates.

I shall see if I can run into the rose blossom at Queen Mary’s Garden inside the

Regent Park. I shall find my new experience with France and Germany, two great

European nations.

四月歐洲行/莊峻華

四月歐洲行/莊峻華

四月中旬，我將從休市，搭乘郵輪到歐洲，很有意思，橫渡大西洋16日，

在西班牙之巴塞隆納港登陸，然後陪三位朋友在巴市，停留三夜，再飛倫

敦，停留兩夜後，飛往愛爾蘭，在都柏林五日，然後飛往巴黎，在巴黎十

日，再飛往法蘭克福，停留十日後，六月二日，搭機返美，機票均購妥，

旅社定到都柏林，想來均無問題，我開始重拾西班牙語，和法語教科書，

開始溫習兩語言，德語困難，已經遠水救不了近火。

我一直耽心，航空公司之哩數優待，隨時在改變，隨時面臨過期，所以拼命

安排旅行，世界各國中，符合我節約自助者，歐洲日本耳，有方便之交通工

具，便宜之旅社，其他消費，均可安排，台灣也好，但台北旅社，居高不下，

鄉下交通不便，我已經知難而退，目前，我已經有買好一張機票，九月中回

德國，十月底，搭乘原郵輪回休市。

在大西洋半個月，有足夠時間休息和溫習語言，巴塞隆納有三天，可以逛街，

倫敦可以再去看白金漢宮，攝政王公園，格林威治。聽說愛爾蘭，國民所得平

均，高過英國，這是台灣海外網一節目如是說，連忙詢問琳兒，她說愛爾蘭有

優惠，給與巨大企業，這些企業於是，開始併吞當地公司，然後將美國之總部

，遷移到都柏林，都講英文，但稅務較輕，於是我恍然大悟，如此一來，美國

就業又開始有問題，愛爾蘭人口只有四百五十萬，土地是台灣之兩倍不到，平

均數目，容易翻轉，但人民收入，平均尚低，不然我們之頗若西少數黨領袖，為

何提到美國，有五萬名愛爾蘭，非法移民？

巴黎和德國，都是久違之處，兩國各十日，應該可以認識，此兩歐陸大國。

Going to visit annual cherry blossom in D.C./Carlos Pueblo

Going to visit annual cherry blossom in D.C./Carlos Pueblo

I am going to visit the annual cherry blossom in Washington D.C. next week

even though I am a week late for the peak of 2016, of course, I mean that I

am a week late for Somei Yashino and a week too early for Kwanshan cherry.

I have been to D.C. for the annual cherry blossom festival since 2010 and missed

At least twice for Yoshino yet caught Kwanshan instead. Yoshino is graceful while

Kwanshan is charming. I have been very fortunate for this annual visit instead of

a long trip to Japan in the spring. Cherry blossom only lasts for a week and is very

difficult to make an accurate travel arrangement for the right peak time.

Hanami means to meet the flowers blossom which is an activity of the spring.

The newspaper will remind the people when is the peak time of the year,

Sakura Zensen or the frontier of cherry blossom to monitor the peak  nationwide.

From early February in the southern Kyushu Island to late April in the northern Hokkaido

Island and again in the fall for the frontier of red leaf, the maple, from the north down

to the south till early winter.

D.C. is the national capital and of course, maintains a top standard of a city especially

in the federal building area. A lots of flowers blossom in the spring and a lots of visitors

from all over the world which make it very interesting to visit. I also take time to visit

the famous Smithsonian on the national mall. One year, I even ran into to an exhibition

of Taiwanese orchids.  

華府賞櫻2016/莊峻華

華府賞櫻2016/莊峻華

下週三，我將旅行華府賞櫻，我查網路消息，潮汐盆地之染井吉野櫻，

已經盛開，心中悵然若失，櫻花期短暫，稍縱即逝。步入老年後，特別

注意四季花朵，旅行各地，不時巧遇花季，多半是都市美容，也有的是

原野自然，日本櫻花，已經推廣到全球。

日語名詞花見，指者櫻花也，所以有櫻花前線，在報上推斷櫻期，當然，

秋日有紅葉前線，推斷楓葉變紅，我也攀附風雅，追到各地，欣賞自然。

通常我搭機到紐約，然後搭乘巴士到華府，再轉地下跌到淑英府，放下行

李後，直奔史密斯人站，就是華府中心，開始花見，錯過染井吉野，一種

東京培育品種，也許遇到關山櫻花，一種高雅，一種豔麗，關山櫻四百株，

集中在頗多美克河畔，小半島上，淑英幫我準備飯盒，中午後，坐在河邊

，觀看國家機場，飛機起落。

白宮附近之華府，就像是花園，許多豔麗花海，而且建築宏偉美觀，充分

展示國家實力，步行疲倦，就躲入史密斯人博物館，參觀古典和近代藝術

，一切免費。

Retirement Plans in the U.S./ Carlos Pueblo

Retirement Plans in the U.S./ Carlos Pueblo

I have always enjoyed discussing the retirement plans in the U.S. which I

have considered as a comprehensive, fair, and considerate. I am one of

the beneficiary of such plans in a defined benefit plan, a HR-10 plan, a

traditional individual retirement account, and a 401k account, of course,

including a social security insurance plan. Almost all the retirement plans

are funded by the contribution of the individual except the defined benefit

plan which is gradually diminished nowadays.

I started to withdraw my defined benefit plan at 55 with my last employer

for $202 a month. This amount helped me to make up my decision to withdraw

my social security benefit early at age 62 for a discount amount. I figured if I

would live up to age 85, I can come out ahead of a lump sum distribution, on

the other hand, I may lose some on the social security; however, I can make up

the loss by postponing the other withdraw of pension plans. Most of the employers

of the U.S. don’t provide the defined benefit plan, instead, they provide a 401k

plan to replace the old defined benefit plan in order to save the cost.

I contributed 10% of my gross income to the previous employer which also provided

the small defined benefit plan. The employer also provided additional 4% contribution

to that plan with a 4 years clause in order to be your money. In addition to that, the

company set up an additional annuity plan for you to contribute 13% after tax fund.

This employer is very considerate for the retirement of the employee. Actually, the

employer does not contribute much for such retirement plan at all; however, this plan

help me very much in the future of my retirement portfolio. My 10% contribution was

before tax and subject to income tax deductible. 13% annuity contribution is not subject

to tax deductible yet the annual gain and appreciation is sheltered till the withdraw.

As a self-employed proprietorship, I have contributed to a Keogh Plan, a HR-10 pension

plan, later I transferred to a ro-over individual retirement plan, IRA. This plan I contributed

25% of my annual adjustable gross income and subsequently received the tax deductible

with the same amount. This account has been grown amazingly even helping me to support

both of my children to finish college education, of course, IRS allows me to withdraw  the

necessary amount periodically until age  59.5. I stop to withdraw at that age and shall return

to with draw at age 70.5 according to IRS rule.

The way to financial independence is working and saving. The working and saving requires

a good education, a good philosophy of your life and a good retirement plan.

美國之退休金/莊峻華

美國之退休金/莊峻華

我在休市台灣人社會，遇見許多退休同鄉，退休後，手上握有優厚之

退休金，這些退休金，有政府之社會福利金，有巨大企業之定義福利

計劃，有401k計劃，有個人退休金計劃，所以公家私人公司，三管並

進，按部就班工作儲蓄之退休同鄉，到退休時，不但無金錢憂慮，反

而頭痛收入繳稅，我賣共同基金17年，體會美國退休金之原理，此道

理和退休計劃，是美國社會安定之主因。

有一年，社會福利局，寄來一封信，列出我一生工作，繳交多少社會福

利金稅，何時可以開始領年金，每個月領多少？過去從62歲可以開始

折扣領出，66歲全額領出，70 .5歲優待領出，此領出辦法，經過精算，

國會隨時修改控制，隨時有輿論專家，提出警告，我的看法是，聯邦政

府，必要時會介入補助，像是補助貧民福利一般，維持社會安定。

定義福利金計劃，就是大公司之員工福利金計劃，我有一小筆，每月領

出兩百美元，我當年提早領出，折扣後之社會福利金，剛好由此筆補足

，如果我能領到85歲，就是30年，我就超過當年公司，答應之退休權

利金，此為定義福利金之一類，就是員工無須在收入中，按月繳交退休

計劃金，一切都是公司設立之員工福利計劃，現在這種計劃，漸漸減少

，公司和政府，都要減少操作成本，把老式定義福利金計劃，改成401k

退休金計劃。

401k退休金計劃，員工自己交錢購買，我當年可以交10%之年收入，公

司可以補助4%之年收入，國稅局有儲蓄額之上限，因為繳交當年，可以

節稅，上限額度也應時改變，當年我是一萬一美金一年，到我們家琳兒時

，已經是兩萬美金一年，我離職時，原公司仍舊讓我保存原投資計劃，70.5

歲後，我準備領出部份，我準備轉變成羅斯個人退休金計劃。

因為我是個體戶，所以工作前12年，購買之退休金，是基歐計劃，可以存

收入之25%，到一年三萬美金，存錢可以節稅到領出時，這是我最大筆之退

休計劃，我曾提早領出10年，其中原因是幫助小孩讀大學，也幫助家用，一

直到59.5歲停止，提早領出，無須繳交10%之罰款，也是公司賣點，不是一

般人，所能了解。

Mandatory withdraw of IRA/Carlos Pueblo

Mandatory withdraw of IRA/Carlos Pueblo

At age 70 ½, we must start withdrawing IRA because IRS likes to cash out its

share of our pension fund and we must pay our income tax accordingly. I

have thought of it and with a conclusion that we have better converted to

our Roth IRA account. By this conversion, we have satisfied the federal by

paying the annual income tax and moved the fund to a shelter of appreciation

as well as some legal protection for pension funds.

At the same age 70 ½, we must withdraw our social security benefit, if our

combined annual income is higher to a certain level, we must treat that income

as taxable income on our income tax return. I have seen more and more retired

seniors with higher income after the retirement. Only a earned income is eligible

to contribute to a regular IRA account and enjoy a tax deductible. There are several

reasons for people like me to have an early withdraw of social security benefit, a

discounted amount due to income need and mortality concerns, while there are

reasons for seniors postponing the day of withdraw until 70 ½ because of continual

working or expecting to get more. These are all interesting factors and involving so

much attention and discussion.

There is an early withdraw of regular IRA without 10% tax penalty that is called the

average annual distribution, a sum of digit calculation, we can state it and apply for

the annual income. The withdraw must be continuously until age 59 ½ and after that

we can stop at any year until that 70 ½ mandatory. It is good for the tax management.

The more I think of it, the more I appreciate the U.S. tax law, very comprehensive, fair

, and considerate.

After we start the withdraw, we can see a better picture of our retirement fund if it is

sufficient to last until the last day, of course, we need to have another prediction of our

longevity, 80 years old, 90 years old, or 100 years old which means 10 years, 20 years,

or 30 years from 70 ½.

領退休金/莊峻華

領退休金/莊峻華

前日到峻嚴府，他說要開始領退休金，於是他說出一個數目，我還在無

謂爭辯該領出數目之不正確，想了兩天，終於發現重點是，如何領出退

休金？我早有結論，就是轉變成羅斯個人退休計劃，國稅局滿意，個人

領出者，也可繼續擁有資產之保護，增值之免稅，真是一勞永逸，美國

個人退休計劃之微妙處。

我曾經販賣過，個人退休計劃，就是年金之一種，鼓勵客戶儲蓄，養成

習慣，反覆思考其中之稅務，結論是國稅局，實在是退休金之大股東，持

股比率，最高到個人所得稅率，70 ½歲，就是國稅局之兌現期，繳稅無法

避免，美國政府，非常週密，我大思考過十多年，我們同鄉中，有很多像

峻嚴一般，忘記退休，繼續工作，時間一到，社會福利金必須領出繳稅，

加上工作收入，再加上領退休金，約是四、五年前，我在奧斯丁市，認識

一位顏博士，顏引擎公司之老板，也是台大土木系高材，也是台語文專家

，首次見面即曰，工作繳稅，不亦樂乎？

一定要有工作收入，始得參加退休金計劃，老年健保和社會福利金亦然，

美國稅務，尚稱公正，參加個人退休計劃，可以節稅，低收入像我們家之

元兒，國稅局尚給現金抵稅，今年是兩百美元，美國政府想到低收入者，

晚年財務之獨立性曰，未雨綢繆，我之有意義人生，就是幫助家人，養成

節約儲蓄習慣，而且已有績效。

領退休金，轉移到個人羅斯退休金計劃，滿足國稅局之兌現規定，又可以

開始累積，免稅資本，羅斯退休金，增值領出都免稅，但不是每筆收入，都

可以加入羅斯退休金，一定要有工作收入，一定要從稅前退休計劃，領出後

始能轉移，所有退休金計劃，都可以暫免查封之慮，可以告我，但一時無法

碰到法定退休計劃。

Visiting Etajima/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Etajima/Carlos Pueblo

My last trip visit this time to Japan was Etajima , the island campus of the

old imperial naval academy current day maritime self-defense force. Mr. Lin

, a fellow Houston Taiwanese strongly recommended me to visit Kure and

Etajima for the old glory of Imperial Japanese Navy and I agreed with him.

There is a famous military song called Doki no Sakura, the Cherry blossom of

the same year, about the cadets of naval academy when they were out on a

Kamakazi mission. The glory of blossom lasts only a week until the fallen of

the pedal which is the spirit of Japanese current day samurai.

I took a regular Japan Rail train to Hiroshima station and transferred to Kure

Line to Kure, a famous navy center of before the war. Yamada Battleship

Museum was under the maintenance and I passed right through a mall directly

to the pier to Koyo harbor on Etajima Island. I was too late to make the first

visit of 10:30 am and waiting for the second on at 13:00 pm. I have admired

the military academy for all my life, the discipline, the uniform, and the march.

During my travelling in the U.S., I have visited West Point, Annapolis, Colorado

Spring, and New London. There is a private naval museum right outside the front

Gate of the academy with a good collection. This portion of Etajima is very pretty

In compare with bigger cities dwelling, there are houses with garden and with

colorful roof like traditional temple or shrine that I would compare with the

California Spanish Tiles. It is on the hill and I can have a good view of the harbor.

The gentleman guide took us in the first floor of the reception room for the 90 mins.

Tour. We began with the lecture hall, a typical big hall for spiritual lecture from the

president of the academy. Japanese left such system in Taiwan; therefore, I had been

very familiar with such installation. The building is grand yet inside is very simple,

chairs for the cadets and faculties and a podium for the speaker. The next visit was

the cadets hall, a red brick building similar with then senior Kodogatkou, like Kanazawa

Ishikawa and Taipei’s all school building of then Meiji era. There was an activity of the

Cadets at that moment while they briefly  gathered at the other end of the campus.

We visited the third building, the Naval History Museum. I must mention that I have

visited the British Naval Museum twice at Greenwich yet Etajima is unique.

At the entrance, there are three portraits of the naval heroes, Horatio Nelson of Brittan,

John Paul Jones of the U.S., and Togo Heihatchiro of Japan. I have run  out of  my space

and must end with my conclusion. The most touching of this visit was the big moment

when I walked into the rooms of the  youngsters of Kamakazi fighters with their pictures

and farewell letters to their family. I suddenly realize the reason why Japan is such a

great nation, the success of the family and school education.

江田島行/莊峻華

江田島行/莊峻華

行程終站是廣島縣之江田島，此為舊制海軍兵學校，現今海上自衛隊第

一術科學校，休市有位同鄉，對日本有研究，幾次推薦廣島附近之吳市

，說是吳市海軍區，是戰前日本帝國海軍重鎮，大和號戰艦和江田島海

軍兵學校，我喜歡聽日本歌，其中有一曲，同期之櫻，哀怨悲壯，是戰

時神風特攻隊，出征戰歌，據解釋為海軍兵學校之精神，出征抱必死之

念，像是櫻花燦爛後，花瓣之脫落。

我從廣島驛，搭吳線班車東向，到達吳市後，走向碼頭，搭渡輪到江田

島之小用港，吳市有許多海軍博物館，包括大和號戰艦之模型，戰艦博

物館，正直維修日，所以不作留連，直奔海上自衛隊學校。學校每日有

三節見學之招待，免費招待導遊，我參觀過美國四座軍校，西點軍校，

安娜波麗斯海軍官校，科羅拉多春泉空軍官校，和新倫敦海岸巡邏軍官

校，都是自助，其中西點和海軍校園，需要購票參觀。因為來得早，所

以在校外，排徊一個多小時。江田島市之此區，非常美麗，獨門獨院，屋

舍建築非常別緻，琉璃瓦古典設計，庭院花園，就在校門口外，就有一

私立博物館，都是舊海軍文史紀念品，包括東鄉元帥和三本元帥手蹟。

參觀者約是十餘人，我們先在一階待合室集合，紳士導遊開始說明，明治

22年，1888年，學校從東京築地，魚市場，遷移到瀨戶內海小島，對岸就

是吳市，帝國海軍區鎮守所，我看生徒館之紅樓建築，和當代高等學校相

似。出待合室，走到白色大講堂，台灣學校之大禮堂，就是聽訓之處，大

講堂，設備簡單樸素，出講堂，剛好學生有活動，整隊在操場，操場上有

陸奧艦砲，面向海上，整個校園，有美麗之松樹，令人難忘。

終站是教育參考館，就是日本帝國海軍博物館，一進口有三幀畫像，英國

海軍納爾遜，美國海軍瓊斯，和日本海軍東鄉，館內有很多收藏，我參觀

過格林威治之大英海軍博物館兩次，英帝國海軍時間較長，日本帝國稍短，

主要戰役，就是日清1895, 日俄1905，二戰內容是博物館最後一段，神風

特攻隊，館內有很多收藏，年輕飛行軍官，或是少年軍曹，與家人訣別書

，我猜是戰後家人提供者，此為日本家庭和學校教育成功之處。