Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership - Form 4

Ownership Submission

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * SEIDMAN LAWRENCE B 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. [BWFG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., 258 ELM STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/31/2024 (Street) NEW CANAAN, CT 06840 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 10/31/2024 P 1,220 A $29.06 178,193 I By Seidman and Associates, L.L.C. Common Stock 10/31/2024 P 877 A $29.07 128,045 I By Seidman Investment Partnership, L.P. Common Stock 10/31/2024 P 1,158 A $29.07 168,997 I By Seidman Investment Partnership II, L.P. Common Stock 10/31/2024 P 717 A $29.08 104,626 I By LSBK06-08, L.L.C. Common Stock 10/31/2024 P 870 A $29.07 127,042 I By Broad Park Investors, L.L.C. Common Stock 10/31/2024 P 134 A $29.2 19,539 I By Chewy Gooey Cookies, L.P. Common Stock 1,697 I Deferred Compensation Plan Common Stock 834 D(1) Common Stock 1,600 D(2) Common Stock 1,200 D(3) Common Stock 800 D(4) Common Stock 500 D(5) Common Stock 12,491 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)	6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)	7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SEIDMAN LAWRENCE B C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. 258 ELM STREET NEW CANAAN, CT 06840	X

Signatures

/s/ Courtney E. Sacchetti, Attorney-in-Fact for Lawrence B. Seidman	11/01/2024
**Signature of Reporting Person	Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	2,500 shares of restricted stock granted on December 29, 2023, pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan with 833 vested immediately on December 29, 2023. 833 vested on February 7, 2024 and 834 will vest on February 7, 2025.
(2)	1,600 shares of restricted stock granted on December 29, 2023, pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan and will vest in three equal annual installments of 25%, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2025 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter.
(3)	1,600 shares of restricted stock granted on December 30, 2022, pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan and will vest in four equal annual installments of 25%, with the first installment vested on January 2, 2024 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the filing date, 400 shares have vested.
(4)	1,600 shares of restricted stock granted on December 31, 2021, pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan and will vest in four equal annual installments of 25%, with the first installment vested on January 2, 2023 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the filing date, 800 shares have vested.
(5)	2,000 shares of restricted stock granted on December 8, 2020, pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan and will vest in four equal annual installments of 25%, with the first installment vested on January 2, 2022 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the filing date, 1,500 shares have vested.

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