Quick take: The “Big Beautiful Bill” doesn’t change FRS pension formulas, DROP rules, or the Investment Plan. Those are Florida statutes. What does change is your federal tax picture and health-account options, which affect your paycheck today and how you plan DROP/pension distributions tomorrow.

If planning retirement in Florida feels like merging onto I-95 in August—construction cones, sudden slowdowns, and at least one convertible doing 90—it’s because it kind of is. The FRS Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) can be a beautiful fast lane… or a toll road you didn’t mean to take. Grab a Publix sub, keep the sunscreen handy, and let’s talk about the seven mistakes that turn a sweet DROP into a soggy sandwich—and how to dodge each one.