Florida state, county, and municipal employees may need to coordinate FRS benefits, DROP considerations, deferred compensation accounts, Social Security, healthcare, HIS questions, and retirement income planning. Benowitz Wealth Management helps public employees review these topics clearly and thoughtfully.
Independent fiduciary guidance for Florida public employees. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Florida Retirement System or the State of Florida.
Florida public employees often spend a career inside a single retirement system, but the planning picture rarely lives in just one place. Pension benefits, deferred compensation accounts, the Health Insurance Subsidy where applicable, Social Security, Medicare, beneficiaries, and tax coordination all need to be reviewed together. A retirement plan that ignores how your FRS benefits actually work isn’t a plan — it’s a guess. The point of working with us is to replace the guess with a written plan.
Most public employee retirement plans share the same set of moving parts. Reviewing them together makes the trade-offs much easier to see.
Understanding which plan you participate in, how your benefit is calculated, and the 2nd Election option where it applies.
Reviewing DROP eligibility, timing, the five-year window, and what happens to the DROP balance at exit.
Reviewing deferred compensation accounts, prior employer retirement accounts, and IRAs alongside the FRS pension.
Reviewing HIS considerations where applicable and how they fit with healthcare and Medicare planning.
Coordinating pension income, deferred comp withdrawals, Social Security, and savings into a single income picture.
Reviewing beneficiary designations and survivor pension elections — these often have not been updated in years.
State and county employees often retire with three to five distinct income sources: pension, deferred compensation, Social Security, savings, and sometimes a part-time encore career. Each one has its own rules, its own tax treatment, and its own decision points. The risk isn’t usually any one decision; it’s that the decisions aren’t reviewed together. A plan that coordinates them — rather than treating each in isolation — usually creates clearer outcomes and fewer surprises.
Plan choice, payout elections, DROP, deferred comp, HIS — most public employees face all of these within a single career.
When you retire can affect benefit calculations, healthcare timing, Social Security, and tax outcomes. Worth modeling before deciding.
Coverage between retirement and Medicare, plus annual Medicare review decisions afterward, deserve attention before the deadline arrives.
Tax, legal, and Medicare questions all interact with the retirement plan. We coordinate with your separately engaged professionals.
These topics are not unique to any one employee — they show up regularly across public-sector retirement reviews. Looking at them in one organized pass usually makes the rest of the plan easier to build.
We work with state, county, and municipal employees the same way: as a fiduciary, in plain English, without products being pushed. The deliverable is a written retirement plan that holds together across FRS benefits, deferred comp, Social Security, healthcare, and the questions that will keep coming up after you retire.
An independent registered investment adviser working in your interest.
We work in Pension Plan, Investment Plan, DROP, 457(b), HIS, and the rest of the public-employee benefit landscape every day.
A plan in language you can actually explain to your family, not in jargon.
Rules change. Markets move. Life shifts. The plan adjusts rather than gathering dust.
A free educational checklist designed to help Florida state and county employees organize retirement questions involving FRS benefits, DROP, deferred compensation, healthcare, Social Security, Medicare, beneficiaries, and income planning. Educational only — not personalized advice.
Complimentary. Honest. Bring the questions, the statements, or just the concerns. If we are not a fit, we will say so.
A written plan built around your FRS benefits, your savings, your family, and what you actually want next.
Rules and life both change. We are here for the whole arc — not just the day you sign on.
Learn more about this topic and how it may connect to your retirement plan.
Learn more about this topic and how it may connect to your retirement plan.
Learn more about this topic and how it may connect to your retirement plan.
Learn more about this topic and how it may connect to your retirement plan.
Learn more about this topic and how it may connect to your retirement plan.
Learn more about this topic and how it may connect to your retirement plan.
This page is designed for Florida state, county, and municipal employees — including agency staff, supervisors, administrators, and other public employees whose retirement planning may involve FRS benefits. Specific eligibility and benefit details vary by employer and position.
FRS benefits are typically one part of a larger picture that also includes deferred compensation accounts, Social Security, healthcare, and personal savings. The planning value usually comes from coordinating them rather than reviewing each separately.
Common accounts to review include FRS benefits, 457(b) deferred compensation, any prior-employer retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b)), IRAs, and Roth IRAs. Each has its own rules and tax treatment that can interact with pension income.
DROP is the Florida Retirement System’s Deferred Retirement Option Program. Where eligible, DROP allows certain members to begin accumulating retirement benefits while continuing to work for a limited period. Specific rules, eligibility, and timelines are defined by FRS itself and should be verified through official FRS sources before any decision.
Common topics include coverage between retirement and Medicare eligibility, Medicare enrollment timing, Health Insurance Subsidy considerations where applicable, and how healthcare costs fit into overall retirement income.
HIS — the Health Insurance Subsidy — is an FRS-related benefit. Eligibility, amounts, and rules are determined by FRS, not by us. We can help you review how HIS may fit into your overall planning, but you should verify current HIS information directly through official Florida Retirement System sources.
No. We are a registered investment adviser. We do not provide tax preparation, legal advice, or insurance products. We coordinate with separately engaged qualified professionals when those topics arise.
No. Benowitz Wealth Management is an independent registered investment adviser. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Florida Retirement System, the State of Florida, or any county or municipal government.
The checklist is a free educational document covering planning topics commonly faced by Florida public employees, including FRS Pension Plan or Investment Plan review, vesting, 457(b), HIS, Social Security, Medicare, and retirement income.
Use the Schedule a Conversation button on this page. We will reach out, listen to what you’re working through, and let you know whether we may be a fit. There is no obligation.
A short, complimentary conversation can bring real clarity — whether you’re five years out, five months out, or already retired. Bring the questions. Bring the statements. Bring the concerns. We’ll listen first.
Disclaimer: Benowitz Wealth Management is an independent registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This content is for general educational purposes only and should not be considered personalized investment, tax, legal, Medicare, or insurance advice. Benowitz Wealth Management is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Florida Retirement System, the Florida Department of Management Services, the Division of Retirement, the State Board of Administration of Florida, the State of Florida, any county government, city government, school district, public employer, public safety agency, or government agency. FRS rules, benefits, retirement options, tax laws, Medicare rules, and related planning considerations may change. Before making decisions regarding benefits or retirement planning, visitors should review official plan information and consult appropriate qualified professionals. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
