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).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 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 *
Bauer George P
  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., 220 ELM STREET
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/23/2015
(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               286,780 D  
Common Stock (1)               400 D  
Common Stock (2)               666 D  
Common Stock               111,585 I Held in Foundation
Common Stock (3)               55,556 I Held in Foundation
Common Stock (3) 11/23/2015   M   17,894 A $ 14 17,894 I Held in Foundation

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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
Warrants (3) $ 14 11/23/2015   M     17,894 10/05/2015 12/05/2015 Common Stock 17,894 $ 14 0 I Held in Foundation

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Bauer George P
C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
220 ELM STREET
NEW CANAAN, CT 06840
  X      

Signatures

 /s/ George P. Bauer by POA   11/24/2015
**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) 800 shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the 2012 BNC Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan and will vest in four equal annual installments of 25%, with the first installment to vest on November 5, 2014 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the grant date thereafter. As of today, 400 Shares have vested.
(2) 1,000 shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares vest in three substantially equal installments - the first immediately on December 15, 2014 and then on each of December 3, 2015 and December 3, 2016. As of today, 334 Shares have vested.
(3) All 55,556 Shares were Units, upon exercise of the Warrants on November 23, 2015, the Units became Common Stock. Each Unit consisted of one share of Common Stock and an attached Warrant which gives the Reporting Person the right to purchase .3221 shares of the Company's Common Stock at $14.00 per share once exercised. The exercise period for the Warrants is currently set for October 5, 2015 through December 5, 2015. The associated Common Stock is disclosed in Table I, and the associated Warrants in Table II.

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