Who We Help
Financial Planning for
Duval County Public
School Teachers.
The FRS system offers real retirement security — but the decisions around it are complex, sometimes irreversible, and rarely explained clearly. We help Duval County teachers understand their options and make the right calls at the right time.
Who This Is For
Helping Duval County Educators Build Retirement Security on a Teacher's Timeline.
The Florida Retirement System provides real benefits — but taking full advantage requires understanding decisions most teachers are never adequately briefed on. FRS plan choice, DROP timing, and supplemental savings all interact in ways that matter significantly.
Most teachers focus on their FRS and assume the rest will work out. The income gap at retirement is real. We help bridge it with a clear plan that's built around what teaching actually pays — not what an advisor in a generic office assumes.
We specialize in helping Duval County educators see the full picture across FRS, DROP, 403(b), 457(b), and Social Security — and make confident decisions at every stage.
We understand how the Florida Retirement System works — Pension vs. Investment Plan tradeoffs, DROP mechanics, benefit formulas — and build plans around those details, not generic advice.
We have no incentive to push a 403(b) vendor or annuity product. Our only job is to give you the most useful guidance for your situation.
We work with what you actually earn. Every recommendation is built around a realistic budget — not the assumption that you can save whatever a spreadsheet says.
What We Do
Key Areas Where We Help Duval County Teachers.
FRS Plan Analysis
Walk through the real numbers of the Pension Plan versus the Investment Plan for your specific situation — years of service, salary trajectory, and retirement timeline all factor in.
DROP Strategy & Timing
Evaluate whether DROP makes sense for you, when to enter, how to structure the lump-sum or distribution options, and how it coordinates with your overall retirement income plan.
403(b) & 457(b) Planning
Build a supplemental savings strategy alongside FRS — including which account to prioritize, which vendors to use, and how to invest each one based on when you'll need the money.
Retirement Income Planning
Map out how FRS, Social Security, supplemental savings, and any other assets work together to cover your actual income needs from the day you retire.
Investment Allocation
Build a portfolio for your 403(b), 457(b), or FRS Investment Plan that matches your timeline and risk tolerance — not a generic age-based default fund.
Tax Planning in Retirement
Understand the tax treatment of your FRS income, when to draw from each account type, and how to avoid the common traps teachers face in their first years of retirement.
Your Retirement Options
Understanding
Your Full Picture.
Duval County teachers have access to four primary retirement vehicles — two through FRS and two supplemental. Understanding what each does, and how they work together, is the foundation of a real plan.
FRS Pension Plan
- Guaranteed income for life — employer bears investment risk
- DROP eligible after qualifying service
- Best for teachers who stay in Florida public employment
- Less portable if you leave before vesting
FRS Investment Plan
- Account balance you own and control
- Portable if you leave public employment
- Employee bears investment risk
- No DROP option available
403(b) Plan
- Available in addition to FRS — not instead of it
- Traditional or Roth options depending on vendor
- Vendor selection and fund quality matters significantly
- The primary tool for closing the retirement income gap
457(b) Plan
- Can stack with 403(b) for up to $46K total
- No 10% early withdrawal penalty before age 59½
- Flexible distribution options
- Widely underused by Duval County teachers
FRS benefit formulas and contribution limits are subject to legislative change. A planning conversation is the fastest way to see how your specific years of service and salary project forward.
The FRS Decision
The Choice You May Only Get to Make Once.
When you start as a Duval County teacher, you have a limited window to choose between the FRS Pension Plan and the FRS Investment Plan. The Pension Plan delivers a guaranteed monthly income for life based on years of service. The Investment Plan gives you a portable account you own and control.
Neither is universally better. The right answer depends on how long you plan to teach, your salary trajectory, your tolerance for investment risk, and what retirement actually needs to look like for you. We run the specific numbers before the window closes.
DROP Strategy
Locking In Your Pension While You Keep Working.
The Deferred Retirement Option Program lets FRS Pension Plan members freeze their pension benefit, have it deposited into a separate interest-bearing account, and continue working for up to five years — then retire with both the accumulated DROP balance and their full pension.
Done right, DROP can add meaningfully to your retirement assets. Done wrong — particularly by entering too early or too late — it can cost you. We model the specific breakeven analysis based on your salary, years of service, and planned retirement date.
Supplemental Savings
Closing the Gap Between FRS and Retirement Reality.
FRS provides a foundation, but for many Duval County teachers it does not cover 100% of retirement income needs — especially in the early years before Social Security begins.
The 403(b) and 457(b) are the primary tools to close that gap. Used together, they allow up to $46K per year in tax-deferred savings on top of FRS. We help you build a contribution and investment strategy that fits your actual budget and timeline.
Common Questions
Questions Duval County Teachers
Ask Us.
These are the questions we hear most from educators trying to make smart, confident decisions about FRS, DROP, and retirement income.
Book a Free CallIt depends on your career plans, risk tolerance, and what you need from retirement. The Pension Plan is generally better for teachers who plan to stay in Florida public employment long-term and want guaranteed income. The Investment Plan suits those who may change careers or move states. We walk through the real numbers before you decide.
DROP lets you lock in your pension benefit while continuing to work for up to five years, with that pension accumulating in a separate account. Whether it benefits you depends on your age, salary, how long you work during DROP, and how you plan to use the balance at retirement. The analysis is straightforward once you have the right inputs.
Yes — completely. The 403(b) and 457(b) are separate from FRS and available to Duval County employees. Many teachers use them to supplement FRS income in retirement, or to build savings they can access before reaching full retirement age without a penalty.
Your FRS benefit is calculated as years of service multiplied by your average final compensation multiplied by the 1.6% multiplier. For a teacher with 25 years of service at a $55,000 salary, that comes to roughly $22,000 per year before tax — a solid foundation, but typically not the full picture.
It depends on your work history outside of teaching. FRS does not replace Social Security — and many Florida teachers who have worked other jobs may still qualify for a benefit. We incorporate Social Security into the full retirement income plan to make sure nothing is left out.
Also Serving
We Also Specialize In.
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Exit planning, retirement plan design, tax strategy, and succession — built for owners who need both sides of their financial life covered.
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Specialized guidance on MPC pension, 401(k), stock options, deferred comp, and retirement timing for MPC employees and families.
Learn MoreReady to Build a Real Plan?
Let's Talk About Your
FRS and Your Retirement.
The first call is free, takes 15 minutes, and gives you a clear picture of where you stand across FRS, supplemental savings, and retirement income. No pressure — just an honest conversation built around your situation.