For those of us nearing retirement, Social Security is a pretty big deal. We read advice, talk to financial planners and try to make the best decision possible on when and how to maximize our benefits. If you're strategizing on how to get the most out of your Social Security benefit, check out some changes that may be coming down the pipeline in 2016. 

Though nothing has been clearly stated at this time, in President Obama's proposed budget for 2016, a single line recommends getting rid of "aggressive Social Security claiming strategies, which allow upper-income beneficiaries to manipulate the timing of collection of Social Security benefits in order to maximize delayed retirement credits.”

While it's not yet clear which strategies will be targeted, financial experts suspect it may have something to do with the spousal benefit. Currently, Social Security allows a retirement-age worker to claim and then suspend benefits. This makes it possible for the spouse of the worker  to receive a benefit based on the worker who filed and suspended. Meanwhile, the spouse who filed initially can accrue retirement credits until age 70 when they can start collecting their highest benefit possible. 

There are many variations of the spousal benefit strategy, but in general, those in the financial industry suspect that the 2016 budget will try to do away with the payment optimization plan that increases one spouse's payment by waiting to claim, while allowing the other spouse to collect on their payment in the meantime.  

So if your strategy includes the spousal benefit, keep an eye out for these changes in 2016 and talk to your financial planner about other ways to maximize your payment.