郵輪旅行歸來／莊峻華

 郵輪旅行歸來／莊峻華

昨夜郵輪旅行歸來，在機場因託運行李不順利，回到家已近午夜，連忙查看阿拉斯加行程，這是準備帶愛美到阿拉斯加州健行，我們有多次經驗，而且休市已開始熱浪襲人，到阿州避暑可也。

我先簡述這兩次共二十五日的郵輪旅行，都是搭乘珠寶號，先是加勒比海十日行，從紐約出發，我提前兩日低達紐約，住在榮祥兄客廳沙發上，然後帶他一起上船，我在2016年，帶他和他兩位朋友，從休市橫跨大西洋，此次為他第二次，他已退休，而且喜歡郵輪旅行，又住紐約，搭乘郵輪非常方便，經濟實惠。我在紐約下船後，又在榮祥處，多住幾日，結果吃蕃石榴，咬斷一片牙齒，神經暴露，非常不方便，搭機回家，行李被送到達拉斯，結果我又需要直接到奧斯汀，照顧琳兒雙愛犬，三愛貓，和兩日兩男孩，等到她們休假回來，行李兩件，只能寄放哈比機場，待我從奧斯汀回家後翌日午夜，再搭機回紐約，再哈比機場，領出換成一件，很是複雜，但也不難。

回家時，餐桌上有一字條曰元兒座車暴胎，問清楚後連忙開到折扣輪胎行更換，換了兩新胎，然後到大通存款再領三百美金，準備帶到紐約市，又帶元兒手機去換電池，他暴胎無法打手機求救，又不便通，只好走路回家，我在店裡掏出手機，又掏出充電線，三百美金，不知不覺掉下來，店員曰電池未壞，我就離去，又上握瑪大店，買一鍋送愛美，回家後始發現三百美金，無翼而飛。

我的血壓馬上飆高到160，牙醫診所不敢洗牙，連牙疼都無心囉唆，回家前死馬當活馬醫，回到電腦修理店，說明原由，店員問到信封內容，於是從內室取出該信封還我，世界上真是有好人。

榮祥不方便讓我長住，所以我決定到康乃狄克州紐海倫市候船，這是耶魯大學，我在該鎮候船五日，從機場到搭火車，去和回來，一路上都有善心人幫忙指點路線。

其實這一路，我也是到處問路，使用多種語言，例如，我從下船搭巴士到碼頭，買四點六歐元車票，搭火車到羅馬，再從羅馬買八歐元車票，搭火車到羅馬國際機場，土耳其航空，需要在伊斯坦堡換機，我也非常自在，再搭十二小時飛機回休市。

Packing for my cruise trip/Carlos Pueblo

 Packing for my cruise trip/Carlos Pueblo

It's been quite some time for me to pack for my cruise trip. There are some change on current days travelling such as the Covid-19 test before boarding the plane and the certain limit of check in the luggage which we may pay more. I consider what is necessary for me to wear during these half a month stay between New York city and the Caribbean sea. I am allowed to have two small luggage, one for jackets and another for the rest of plain change cloths. I can carry a camera bag on my shoulder. The trick is to wear as much as I can on the plane to meet the cold weather in NYC while still maintain enough for my 10 days duration on the ship.

I get excited while I think of my next trip to Europe after this one. I even plan to take another cruise back to back trip to Alaska. We are going to fly to Vancouver, Canada. I enjoy very much in the cruise travel that I think is less stressful for my age.

The reason why I must pack well because that I must carry the luggage up and down in and out of the airport and subway stations. I am very frugal in order to make more trips with the same amount of money. I feel good and fun on packing my cruise.

整裝待發旅行／莊峻華

 整裝待發旅行／莊峻華

訂完船票和機票後，開始整裝待發旅行，先是加勒比海十日遊，回休市後直接到奧斯汀幫忙照顧兩愛犬和三愛貓，四日後回家休息四日，再度出發紐約搭同輪返回歐洲，十分緊湊，整理行李始發現暗藏行李費，我需要打好包，不得有贅物。歐洲行甚是理想，行程包括葡萄牙兩港，西班牙四港，還有地中海法義諸港，約是五年前我陸地加郵輪旅行，有過經驗，但這次較為舒適，都在船上，包括食宿，停港日有充足時間到城市中心，重溫舊日美憶，只是體力不若當年，其實巴瑟隆那港，後來我又去過兩次。

我買的船票優待券，只剩一張，我正想是否續購？我不知體力如何？我是很閒，出外旅行，精神愉快，而且郵輪旅行安全，如果這兩次順利，我就再購買四張備用。

飛機票也是一難題，這次我因在紐約市上船，榮祥家可以容身靜候，機票日期稍可控制，然後就是行李費，我也想出一個辦法，就是設法緊縮，打成一箱在免費範圍內。

單程機票，我經過銀行信用卡幫忙，我有累積點數，銀行幫我尋找單程機票，先扣點數，不足部份再信用卡交費，很是理想。

Back to the cruise in 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Back to the cruise in 2022/Carlos Pueblo

A couple of days ago, I found a cruise with a single occupancy rate for a state room and I booked it immediately and also brought my brother-in-law with me on his own room. We're going to a Caribbean sea trip for 10 days. It has been more than 27 months since my last trip to the Vietnamese coastal line in January, 2020. Many business have been stopped by the outbreak of the Chinese Wuhan Corona virus pandemic. Now, we get used to the disease and receive the necessary vaccine shots before we disembark.

I also have booked a reposition ship back to Europe for 15 days. I know that I must take advantage of my healthy body, sufficient funds, and plenty of time to make such traveling. I shall report both trips to you on my blog here.

We are all very excited for the trip. It is a little bit of trouble for the boarding procedure that we must have a test 48 hours before boarding the ship. We know the hustle of getting things done; however, they are all worth a while.

重返郵輪旅行2022／莊峻華

 重返郵輪旅行2022／莊峻華

昨日訂購郵輪旅行船票和機票，下週二凌晨搭機飛往紐約市，週三搭船旅行加勒比海十日，我邀請連襟榮祥兄同行，這是我闊別27個月郵旅之首次，因中國武肺緣故，許多添增公共衛生手續，我在行前需要檢驗未感染武肺，取得證明，始得上機上船，很有趣的是，世界對中國隱瞞武肺緣起和公衛警告，敢怒不敢言，現在美國藉俄羅斯侵略烏克蘭，經濟制裁俄國，也磨刀霍霍，指向中國，看看中國蠢人習近平，如何渡過此關？我還是先回郵輪，修身養性。

我用掉兩張預購優待券，尚存兩張，用畢不再續購，蓋年紀老大也，這也是奔波震盪，我還是清晨散步可也，連網球都越來越可遇不可求，無法固定有四人為伴，若三人組對打，甚是劇烈，兩人牽球，老人不宜。 

郵輪旅行適合老年人，尤其是住紐約市和邁阿密市居民，不需要再搭機來回，兩城市都有很方便之公車到碼頭，老人可以在船上活動，或是下船碼頭逛逛，我最喜歡認養美女，現有四百位，不是吹牛。

Filing 2021 federal income tax/Carlos Pueblo

 Filing 2021 federal income tax/Carlos Pueblo

It's about a time to file 2021 federal income tax. Arthur and Amy plus myself are in higher tax bracket this year due to the stock market appreciation and my over withdraw of my pension fund more than the requirement minimum distribution.

Arthur has a un-expected Game Stop short term capital gain plus his old uniform gift to minor act account with a huge dividend. He is a single living at home with none deduction at all with an income five times his work pay. He lost his regular IRA deduction for that year due to income exceeding the limit. His top tax rate is reached to 35%. We can see how powerful regular saving and investment can help you.

Amy has un-expected high dividends as well plus my pension withdraw bump us to pay our minima social security payments as taxable income. I pay more federal income tax than when I was young. We have to withdraw our savings to pay our federal income tax and lucky us we can avoid to pay penalty because that we are all U.S. citizens.

I would rather pay the federal income tax than run short of money. IRS is very complete and thorough that we can't escape anything from the filing. IRS asks you everything and I don't see how we can escape any income at all. This is what I like to see Donald Trump's income tax filings that so rich of a man can pay no federal income tax for 20 years in a row.

I was at the bracket of 0% income tax before one time. I was among 50% of the US population level. Now I don't have any deduction such as business expanse, mortgage deduction, and child support, etc. IRS asked me to pay college loan penalty because they disagreed. I appreciate very much for that we must maintain such a good nation by paying federal income tax. Paying Trump's security protection and Pompeo's security guards, etc. required very much federal revenues.

申報聯邦所得稅2021／莊峻華

 申報聯邦所得稅2021／莊峻華

剛才完成2021年聯邦所得稅申報手續，也寫好支票，即將寄出，又是一年，去年我們收入較高，因此需要繳交較高之所得稅，很是心疼，但要習慣，交高稅收表示收入高，就是一年比一年好，移民來美國是成功之案例，我先說元兒所得稅，然後再談我們自己，其實去年2020年，我們之稅務已經很高。

今年元兒有三項高收入，一是電玩股票盈利，但他說不是主要因素，電玩股票大部份在退休金，主要是過去之幼童基金股息，因此不能扣除六千元年度退休金，我們需要等待來年在年度申報上扣除，他都年初就交六千元個人退休計劃，因此有2021，和2022兩年的兩個6000可以待扣除，很有趣，國稅局有張證明，以後可以算帳，就是未扣除部份，像我現在領退休金算收入，一塊算一塊，將來國稅局有妥善合理之算法。元兒是低收入工人，幾年前我津津樂道他的投資收入，與他的工資收入平手，甚至從投資收入是工資一半，開始講起，今年是幾倍，投資儲蓄之威力，當然也要有健康之身體，他的稅率已達百分之三十。

愛美和我的稅率也達到百分之三十，因為我們避免房屋貸款，所以無扣除額，其實利率低，也無甚利息，反而借貸有很多規定和多餘支出。我領較高退休金和愛美投資儲蓄之股息，今年年收入更高，所以需要開更高之支票，幸好是美國公民，少交之稅，免去利息，是國稅局之德政。

我同意有收入，達到一定程度，需要交所得稅，高收入高稅務，我自己報稅，百思不解者為高收入如川普總統，何以20年可以不交所得稅？我很 想知道。