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 * BARRETT J PATRICK   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP [LNC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) CENTRE SQUARE-WEST TOWER, 1500 MARKET ST., SUITE 3900 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/12/2006 (Street) PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102 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

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
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 43.48	01/12/2006		D(1)			3,000	(1)	03/08/2011	Common Stock	3,000	(1)	0	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 43.48	01/12/2006		A(1)		3,000		(1)	03/08/2011	Common Stock	3,000	(1)	3,000	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 52.1	01/12/2006		D(2)			3,000	(2)	03/14/2012	Common Stock	3,000	(2)	0	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 52.1	01/12/2006		A(2)		3,000		(2)	03/14/2012	Common Stock	3,000	(2)	3,000	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 25.11	01/12/2006		D(3)			3,000	(3)	03/13/2013	Common Stock	3,000	(3)	0	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 25.11	01/12/2006		A(3)		3,000		(3)	03/13/2013	Common Stock	3,000	(3)	3,000	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 47.58	01/12/2006		D(4)			3,000	(4)	03/11/2014	Common Stock	3,000	(4)	0	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$ 47.58	01/12/2006		A(4)		3,000		(4)	03/11/2014	Common Stock	3,000	(4)	3,000	D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BARRETT J PATRICK CENTRE SQUARE-WEST TOWER 1500 MARKET ST., SUITE 3900 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102	X

Signatures

/s/ C. Suzanne Womack, Attorney-in-Fact		01/17/2006
**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)	The two reported transactions involved an amendment of an outstanding option to permit the reporting person to exercise under circumstances for three months after board service, resulting in the deemed cancellation of the "old" option and the grant of a replacement option. The option was originally granted on March 8, 2001 and provides for vesting in four equal annual installments commencing on March 8, 2002.
(2)	The two reported transactions involved an amendment of an outstanding option to permit the reporting person to exercise under circumstances for three months after board service, resulting in the deemed cancellation of the "old" option and the grant of a replacement option. The option was originally granted on March 14, 2002 and provides for vesting in four equal annual installments commencing on March 14, 2003.
(3)	The two reported transactions involved an amendment of an outstanding option to permit the reporting person to exercise under circumstances for three months after board service, resulting in the deemed cancellation of the "old" option and the grant of a replacement option. The option was originally granted on March 13, 2003 and provides for vesting in four equal annual installments commencing on March 13, 2004.
(4)	The two reported transactions involved an amendment of an outstanding option to permit the reporting person to exercise under circumstances for three months after board service, resulting in the deemed cancellation of the "old" option and the grant of a replacement option. The option was originally granted on March 11, 2004 and provides for vesting in four equal annual installments commencing on March 11, 2005.

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