Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities

SEC Form 4 
   

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	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 for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Porto Carl M (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. 258 ELM STREET (Street) NEW CANAAN CT 06840 (City) (State) (Zip)	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)
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/06/2024
	4. If Amendment, Date of 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

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	09/06/2024		P		106	A	$29.4(1)	18,280	I	Deferred Compensation Plan
Common Stock								834	D(2)
Common Stock								1,600	D(3)
Common Stock								1,200	D(4)
Common Stock								800	D(5)
Common Stock								500	D(6)
Common Stock								1,760	D(7)
Common Stock								15,638	D
Common Stock								4,303	I	Law Firm Pension Plan

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 Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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: 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

Explanation of Responses:

1. Range of reported price is $29.34 to $29.45. Reporting person agrees to provide individual transaction to SEC upon request.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 1,600 shares of restricted stock granted on December 31, 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 1,760 shares of restricted stock granted on February 7, 2020, pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan and will fully vest on February 7, 2025.

Remarks:

	/s/ Courtney E. Sacchetti, Attorney-in-Fact for Carl M. Porto	09/09/2024
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* 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).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

---