For Florida Public Servants

You served Florida. Now let's build the retirement you earned.

The pension is a foundation. The rest is what you build on it. We help FRS members plan, decide, and retire with clarity.

FRSPension & Investment Plan Specialists
100%Fiduciary Standard
Fee-BasedIndependent. No Products to Sell.
DROP StrategyPension Option AnalysisInvestment Plan ReviewsDeferred Comp (457)Social Security StrategyFRS 2nd ElectionHIS PlanningEstate CoordinationMedicare GuidanceFee-Based FiduciaryDROP StrategyPension Option AnalysisInvestment Plan ReviewsDeferred Comp (457)Social Security StrategyFRS 2nd ElectionHIS PlanningEstate CoordinationMedicare GuidanceFee-Based Fiduciary

Straight talk. Real plans. No products being pushed.

We're an independent, fee-based fiduciary firm. That means we're legally required to put your interests first — and we don't earn commissions on the advice we give.

We focus on Florida public employees and FRS members. The pension is the foundation; we help you figure out the rest — DROP timing, Social Security, Medicare, taxes, the whole picture. No jargon, no pressure, and no decision rushed.

"You served Florida. Now let's build the retirement you earned."

"The pension is a foundation. The rest is what you build on it."

The people who keep Florida running

We work with teachers, first responders, law enforcement officers, state and county employees, university staff, and retirees across Florida. Whether you're ten years out, weighing DROP, or already drawing your pension, the choices in front of you are bigger than they look — and most of them can't be undone.

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Educators

Teachers and school staff across Florida's districts and universities.

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First Responders

Firefighters, paramedics, and the Special Risk Class.

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Law Enforcement

Sworn officers and command staff planning their exit.

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State & County

Government employees and administrators, active and retired.

One firm for the whole retirement picture

Pension Option Analysis

Modeling Options 1 through 4 in real dollars so your election protects the people who depend on you.

DROP Planning

Timing your entry and exit, and deciding what to do with your lump sum before it's taxed.

Investment Plan Rollovers

Coordinating rollovers and reviewing your Investment Plan lineup with an unbiased eye.

Deferred Comp (457) Guidance

Making your 457 and other savings work alongside your pension, not against it.

Social Security Coordination

Choosing a claiming age on purpose and sequencing it with your FRS income.

The Whole Financial Plan

Tying every piece together into one clear, unhurried plan for the next thirty years.

Estate PlanningVia Partnered Attorneys

Wills, beneficiaries, and trust coordination through separately engaged, independent attorneys.

Tax PlanningVia Partnered CPA

Tax-smart strategy coordinated with a separately engaged, independent CPA.

Medicare GuidanceVia Partnered Provider

When the time comes, help navigating Medicare through a separately engaged provider.

The questions FRS members ask at 11 p.m.

?Should I take Option 1, 2, 3, or 4?
?Should I roll my DROP lump sum or cash it out?
?When should I claim Social Security?
?Can I work after I retire from FRS?
?What happens to my pension if I pass first?
?How do I keep taxes from eating my retirement?

Financial planning became personal to me long before it became professional.

Why I built Benowitz Wealth Management

I grew up with a single mother who stretched every dollar, and learned early that money was never really about wealth — it was about stability, dignity, and the ability to care for the people you love. That's why I serve Florida's public servants: people who've spent their careers caring for others deserve clear, fiduciary-minded guidance when it's their turn to plan.

Derrick JohnsonFounder & Advisor · Series 65 · Benowitz Wealth Management

Ready to talk?

Five years out, five months out, or already retired — a short call can bring real clarity. No cost, no obligation, no products being pushed.

Book a Call With Derrick