A Big Shift in Home Financing

President Donald Trump recently proposed a 50-year mortgage — a bold idea aimed at lowering monthly payments by stretching out the term of the loan. The concept is simple: instead of paying off your home in 30 years, you’d spread it out over 50. That could make a big difference in the monthly budget for many Floridians struggling with rising property insurance, HOA fees, and grocery bills that seem to grow faster than the palm trees in your front yard. But like most things in personal finance, there’s a trade-off — and it’s one worth understanding before signing on the dotted line.

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.