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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * VERRICO ERNEST J SR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. [BWFG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP & CFO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., 220 ELM STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/01/2016 (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 (1)               1,000 D   Common Stock (2)               1,600 D   Common Stock (3)               3,250 D   Common Stock (4)               4,620 D   Common Stock (4)               3,647 D   Common Stock (4)               7,078 D   Common Stock               16,805 I Joint with Wife Common Stock 02/01/2016   P   2,000 A $ 19.4992 2,000 I IRA

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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
VERRICO ERNEST J SR C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. 220 ELM STREET NEW CANAAN, CT 06840			EVP & CFO

Signatures

/s/ Ernest J. Verrico		02/01/2016
**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)	5,000 shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the 2007 Bank of New Canaan Stock Option Equity Award Plan and will vest in five equal annual installments of 20%, the first installment of 1,000 shares vested on March 22, 2012 and an additional 20% to vest on each annual anniversary of the grant date thereafter. As of the transaction date, 4,000 Shares have fully vested and been transferred to Joint Ownership with Wife.
(2)	4,000 shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the 2007 Bank of New Canaan Stock Option Equity Award Plan and will vest in five equal annual installments of 20%, the first installment of 800 shares vested on March 21, 2013 and an additional 20% to vest on each annual anniversary of the grant date thereafter. As of the transaction date, 2,400 Shares have fully vested and been transferred to Joint Ownership with Wife.
(3)	6,500 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 the transaction date, 3,250 Shares have fully vested and been transferred to Joint Ownership with Wife.
(4)	16,500 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 5,775 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in five equal annual installments of 20%, with the first installment to vest on December 1, 2015 and an additional 20% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 3,647 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in four equal annual installments of 25%, with the first installment to vest on December 1, 2016 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the transaction date, 1,155 Shares have fully vested and been transferred to Joint Ownership with Wife. 7,078 of those shares are performance restricted stock and may vest when and if the performance goals are achieved, but in any event no later than December 1, 2019.

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