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

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * GOTTA JOHN   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP [LNC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP & CEO-LNL (Last) (First) (Middle) CENTRE SQUARE WEST TOWER, 1500 MARKET ST., SUITE 3900 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/13/2004 (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 Common Stock 12/13/2004   M   31,430 A $ 24.72 52,680.24 D   Common Stock 12/13/2004   F   16,930 D $ 45.89 35,750.24 D   Common Stock 12/13/2004   F   4,560 D $ 45.89 31,190.24 (1) D   Common Stock               5,929.47 (2) I By 401(k)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	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 control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

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)

$ 24.72

12/13/2004

M

31,430

03/09/2001(3)

03/09/2010

Common Stock

31,430

$ 0

38,570

D

Employee Stock (Right to Buy) (4)

$ 45.89

12/13/2004

A

16,930

12/13/2006

03/09/2010

Common Stock

16,930

$ 0

16,930

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
GOTTA JOHN CENTRE SQUARE WEST TOWER 1500 MARKET ST., SUITE 3900 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102			EVP & CEO-LNL

Signatures

/s/C. Suzanne Womack		12/14/2004
**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)	Includes 4,319.24 shares previously reported as DCP Phantom Stock Units including dividend reinvestments, which the reporting person is now reporting as Common Stock because the shares can only be settled in shares of the Company's Common Stock.
(2)	Represents routine transactions in the Company's 401(k) Plan.
(3)	The option is exercisable in four equal annual installments, which began on 3/9/2001.
(4)	Option to acquire shares resulting from reload exercise. The reload option expiration date is the same as the original option expiration date.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.