Marion County’s FRS members include teachers and staff across a large rural school district, county workers, and one of Central Florida’s bigger sheriff’s offices. We help Ocala-area employees by phone or Zoom, or in person at our DeBary office.
We know FRS. We help you understand DROP, check your forms and dates before anything is filed, and connect you with a licensed financial professional when you need one. We can’t promise any outcome, but we can help make sure nothing gets missed.
FRS employers in Marion County
These Marion County employers appear on the FRS list of participating employers for 2026-27.1 If yours is on it, your job is likely FRS-covered, but always confirm your plan in FRS Online.
- Marion County School Board (Marion County Public Schools), plus Marion Charter School and Francis Marion Military Academy
- Marion County Board of County Commissioners, plus the Clerk of Circuit Court, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector
- Marion County Sheriff’s Office
- College of Central Florida, headquartered in Ocala
- Rainbow Lakes Municipal Service district
State agency employees working in the county (for example, Department of Corrections, FDOT, Department of Health and DCF) are FRS members too.1
In Marion County, FRS mostly means the school district, county offices, the sheriff and the College of Central Florida.
Many Marion County couples we talk with have one spouse at the school district and the other at the sheriff’s office. That’s two DROP timelines, two benefit option choices and two payout deadlines. We help you put every date on one calendar so nothing slips.
The deadlines that can’t be undone
- Your benefit payment option becomes permanent once your first payment is cashed or credited to DROP.4
- After your DROP end date, you can’t work for any FRS employer for six calendar months, paid or unpaid. Doing so can void your retirement.2
- FRS must receive your DROP payout form (DP-PAYT) within 60 days of termination, or the balance is paid as a lump sum with 20% withheld.3
Read the full guide: What Is DROP? · FRS Pension Plan vs. Investment Plan
How we meet
- In person at our office: 301 N Pine Meadow Dr, DeBary, FL 32713
- By phone: (850) 296-8828
- On Zoom, so you can share your FRS statement on screen
Hours: Monday to Friday 8 AM to 7 PM, and Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM. Bring your latest FRS statement or estimate, any DROP forms you’ve received, and your questions.
Frequently asked questions
My spouse and I are both in FRS. Can we meet together?
Yes, and we recommend it. We’ll go through both of your timelines, forms and deadlines in the same appointment.
I teach at the College of Central Florida. Can I use DROP?
DROP is only for FRS Pension Plan members. Some college employees are in the Investment Plan or an optional program instead. Once you confirm your plan, we can go over what applies to you.
What happens if I miss the DROP payout deadline?
If FRS doesn’t receive Form DP-PAYT within 60 days of your DROP termination date, it is required by law to pay your balance as a lump sum with 20% federal tax withheld.3
Book your free Marion County FRS review
In about 30 minutes, we’ll go through your dates and forms with you so you know what to file and when. There’s no pressure and no sales pitch.
Book your free review · Call (850) 296-8828 · Contact us
Final benefit decisions are made by the FRS Division of Retirement. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.
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FRS, Participating Employers for Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Rev. 09/2026): https://frs.fl.gov/forms/part-emp.pdf
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FRS, Deferred Retirement Option Program guide: https://frs.fl.gov/forms/drop_guide.pdf
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FRS, Preparing to Terminate DROP: https://frs.fl.gov/forms/Preparing_to_terminate_DROP.pdf
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FRS, Ready. Set. Retire.: https://frs.fl.gov/forms/ready_set_retire.pdf
