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 * Ivanov Penko Krassimir   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 & Chief Financial Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., 208 ELM STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/23/2018 (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               5,625 D (1)   Common Stock 05/23/2018   P   29 A $ 30.86 2,465 D (2)   Common Stock 05/23/2018   P   22 A $ 30.86 179 I IRA Common Stock               2,500 D (3)   Common Stock               2,500 D (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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
Ivanov Penko Krassimir C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. 208 ELM STREET NEW CANAAN, CT 06840			EVP & Chief Financial Officer

Signatures

/s/ Penko Ivanov by POA		05/24/2018
**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)	7,500 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 September 26, 2017 and an additional 25% to vest on each annual anniversary of the grant date thereafter. As of the Transaction Date, 1,875 Shares have vested.
(2)	590 Shares reported are held jointly with spouse.
(3)	5,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 2,500 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2019 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 2,500 of those shares are performance restricted stock and may vest when and if the performance goal is achieved.

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