I am building a 16' X30' deck that will not be attached to the house. Do I have to place the footers for the posts on the inside perimeter of the deck or can I move them in further, 1 to 2', so I can attach the beam to them easier. Any help would be appreciated.

Extending the floor joists one or two feet out from the beam should not affect the integrity of the deck if the joist and beam load have been calculated correctly.