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Real People, Right Here In St. Louis

We're here
to help.

Five people. One local office. The team that answers your first question is the same team standing behind your coverage for years to come.

2013
Helping With Medicare Since
16
States Licensed In
4
Licensed Advisors + Chief of Staff
Carl Berger Emily Howell Katie Berger Jeff Kitchell James Danner
Retirement Resources
The Retirement Resources team · St. Louis, MO
Why We Built This

We take the stress out of Medicare, making it easy to understand. We answer your questions, provide education, and handle all the details — big and small.

— There's no obligation, ever
Meet The Team

The people who'll pick up the phone.

No call centers. No outsourced enrollment lines. When you call Retirement Resources, you reach one of us — and we remember you next year.

Carl Berger

Carl Berger

Principal · Founder

I'm a proud St. Louis native — Vianney grad, marketing and business at SEMO — and I've been a Certified Medicare Advisor since 2013. I founded Retirement Resources in 2014, and since then my team and I have helped thousands of people across multiple states navigate Medicare with confidence.

What I truly enjoy is helping people really understand their options — making them feel confident and comfortable with their decision, and letting them know they have someone for the rest of their lives to help them. We're not a call center or a one-time enrollment service: Medicare isn't a one-time decision, it's a journey. Plans change, your health changes, and our job is to make sure you always understand what you have and why.

More than anything, I want the people I work with to feel informed, not sold to. No pressure, no sales pitch — just honest, plain-English answers, year after year. We're here for this decision, and every one that comes after it.

Away from the office you'll find me with my family, playing golf, biking mountain and road trails, or near the water whenever possible.

Certified Medicare Advisor, 2013 Certified Financial Education Instructor, 2009 St. Louis Native
Emily Howell

Emily Howell

Chief of Staff

Emily is usually the first voice you'll hear when you call our office. She answers the phones, keeps every client's paperwork moving, and handles much of the day-to-day customer service — she's the reason a small Medicare practice never feels like a big call center.

She brings more than 15 years of experience in social work to Retirement Resources, where she supports Carl and the team in serving clients through their Medicare journey. The move from social work into the Medicare world was a natural one — helping others, solving problems, and providing guidance during important life transitions has always been at the heart of her work. She's passionate about creating a welcoming experience for every client, with the personalized support and clear communication each person deserves.

Emily lives in the Oklahoma City area with her husband and their two sons, Tucker and Braxton. The whole family loves to travel and cruise — all of them scuba certified — and their love of adventure has taken them from full-time RV living to exploring the Atlantic coast by catamaran.

Client Care & Office Operations 15+ Years in Social Work
Katie Berger

Katie Berger

Licensed Insurance Advisor

I'm a St. Louis native with a background in human resources and talent acquisition — a University of Missouri-Columbia grad (MIZ!) in Human Development and Family Studies. After more than a decade helping people navigate complex, high-stakes career decisions, Medicare was a natural fit.

I'm passionate about helping individuals and families understand their options and compare Medicare Advantage, Supplement, and Part D plans — especially the parts that catch people off-guard, like prescription coverage and plan-fit details. If your prescription list is long, I'm who you want walking through it with you. I take great pride in building lasting relationships with my clients: honest guidance and ongoing support long after enrollment.

When I'm not supporting clients, I enjoy time with my family, working out, walks in the neighborhood and local trails, audiobooks, and vacationing as much as possible.

Certified Medicare Advisor, 2025 Part D Specialist Licensed in MO, IL & FL
Jeff Kitchell

Jeff Kitchell

Licensed Insurance Advisor

I'm from Rosebud, Missouri, and currently reside there, splitting my time between Rosebud and St. Louis. After graduating from Southwest Missouri State with a Business degree, I began a career in financial planning with John Hancock Financial Services. I'm a private pilot and restore vintage boats in my free time.

After witnessing my father's struggle with Medicare decisions, I decided to become an advisor and help others facing the same uncertainty and confusion.

Licensed Insurance Agent Licensed in MO, IL & FL
James Danner

James Danner

Licensed Insurance Advisor

I am a lifelong resident of St. Louis. After attending UMSL, I started a 40+ year career in Ford dealer sales and management. I have been married to my wife Mindy for 44 years, and we have three children and six grandchildren — four of the six live in Louisville, KY, where we make frequent visits. I enjoy travel, fishing, playing golf and following our local sports teams, particularly Cardinals baseball.

I began advising clients on healthcare after seeing the anxiety and confusion of many people enrolling in Medicare and knowing I could help with the process.

Licensed Insurance Agent
Why Work With Our Team

Four things you can count on.

These aren't marketing promises — they're what Carl has built the practice around, in his own words.

01 Education first

We'll walk through how Medicare works — Parts A, B, C, D, the enrollment rules, the penalties — until it's clear. The decision comes after you understand. Not before.

02 Service that keeps going

Continued, ongoing customer service and guidance after you enroll. We don't disappear after the paperwork lands. You'll hear from us at every annual review, and any time the rules shift.

03 A direct local person

When you call, you reach one of us — by name. No phone trees. No call centers. No off-shore enrollment lines reading you a script.

04 A local team that tracks the changes

A direct local team that stays on top of local changes — and makes every attempt to let you know if something major changes on your plan for AEP.

Find Us

Right here in St. Louis.

We work with retirees across 16 states, but our office, our team, and our roots are St. Louis through and through. Come by, call, or text — whichever you prefer.

Licensed In

16
States · Carl Berger
MOILARCOFLGAINIAKSMNNYOKSCTXWAWI
No Obligation, Ever

Want to put a face
to a name?

Book a free 30-minute review with one of us. We'll answer the questions you've been carrying — no scripts, no high-pressure pitch.

Prefer to talk now? Call or text(314) 248-6500
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 9 organizations which offer 30 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program to get information on all of your options.