SEC FORM 4

SEC FORM 4SEC 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

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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^*

SEIDMAN LAWRENCE B

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

258 ELM STREET

(Street)

NEW CANAAN

CONNECTICUT

06840

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)

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)

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/07/2026

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

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)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	08/07/2026		P		3,934	A	$66.62	222,690	I	By Seidman and Associates, L.L.C.
Common Stock	08/07/2026		P		1,012	A	$66.63	142,079	I	By Seidman Investment Partnership, L.P.
Common Stock	08/07/2026		P		853	A	$66.64	178,133	I	By Seidman Investment Partnership II, L.P.
Common Stock	08/07/2026		P		2,621	A	$66.62	131,308	I	By LSBK06-08, L.L.C.
Common Stock	08/07/2026		P		1,022	A	$66.63	136,476	I	By Broad Park Investors, L.L.C.
Common Stock	08/07/2026		P		558	A	$66.65	25,177	I	By Chewy Gooey Cookies, L.P.
Common Stock								17,463	D
Common Stock								1,455	D⁽¹⁾
Common Stock								1,200	D⁽²⁾
Common Stock								534	D⁽³⁾
Common Stock								400	D⁽⁴⁾
Common Stock								4,844	I	Deferred Compensation 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)
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)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Explanation of Responses:

1. 1,455 shares of restricted stock granted on February 9, 2026, pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan with 485 to vest on February 7, 2027. 485 will vest on February 7, 2028 and 485 will vest on February 7, 2029.

2. 1,800 shares of restricted stock granted on February 7, 2025, pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan with 600 to vest on February 7, 2026. 600 will vest on February 7, 2027 and 600 will vest on February 7, 2028. As of the filing date, 600 shares have vested.

3. 1,600 shares of restricted stock granted on December 29, 2023, pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan with 533 vested on February 7, 2025, 533 will vest on February 7, 2026 and 534 will vest on February 7, 2027. As of the filing date, 1,066 shares have vested.

4. 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 vesting on January 2, 2024 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the filing date, 1,200 shares have vested.

Remarks:

	/s/ Angelo G. Fusaro, Attorney-in-Fact for Lawrence B. Seidman	08/10/2026
	** 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.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)