Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

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

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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Krukar Mark S.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Columbia Financial, Inc. [ CLBK ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                    _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below) EVP & Chief Credit Officer
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) 19-01 ROUTE 208 NORTH	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 1/14/2022
(Street) FAIR LAWN, NJ 07410 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	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. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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	1/14/2022		A		38.0387 (1)	A	$20.93	8433.5159	I	By Stock-Based Deferral Plan
Common Stock								21538	D
Common Stock								25364	I	By 401(k)
Common Stock								3354	I	By ESOP
Common Stock								2962	I	By SERP
Common Stock								4761	I	By SIM
Common Stock								46154	I	By Stock Award (2)

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		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 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
Stock Options (right to buy)	$15.6							7/23/2020 (3)	7/23/2029	Common Stock	141176.0		141176	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Represents phantom stock purchased, on a non-discretionary basis, by the trustee of the Bank's rabbi trust maintained in connection with the Columbia Bank Stock Based Deferral Plan, a non-qualified stock-based deferral plan. Stock unit interests under the Columbia Bank Stock Based Deferral Plan will be settled in shares of stock upon distribution to the reporting person.
(2)	Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, 50% of which vest in five approximately equal annual installments commencing on July 23, 2020; and the remaining 50% of which vest upon achievement of certain specified performance-based vesting criteria, which if achieved, such Awards would vest three years after the date of the Award.
(3)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan vest in five approximately equal annual installments commencing on July 23, 2020.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Krukar Mark S. 19-01 ROUTE 208 NORTH FAIR LAWN, NJ 07410			EVP & Chief Credit Officer

Signatures
/s/ Dennis E. Gibney, Power of Attorney		1/19/2022
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date