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Newly published Go Banking Rates study findings reveal that only a few celebrity winners of the dance competition, Dancing with the Stars, have the right moves on the dance floor, as well as the finesse to maintain financial success.

Debt is a four-letter word that even Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) contestants are all too familiar with, but unlike average Americans, Go Banking Rates finds that DWTS celebrities have a chance to make thousands of dollars by shimmying across the dance floor to get out of debt.

With so many eyes tuning in each week to follow their favorite stars, it’s easy to assume that these celebs have got it made, both on stage and when it comes to their finances. But don’t let those ballroom gowns and tailored suits fool you. Despite the payout that Dancing with the Stars contestants receive for participating on the show, some celebs trot along a rocky financial path.

Dancing with the Stars Salary

While some DWTS participants decide to donate their earning from the show to charity, most see it as an opportunity to score quick cash and hopefully reignite their careers. It was only recently that Dancing with the Stars salary figures were revealed.

According to season 11 participant Margaret Cho, she made about $200,000 on DWTS, despite being eliminated in the third round. Later in her interview with The View, she added, “Don’t feel sorry for anyone who gets voted off, that’s what they made.”

But that paycheck is just the tip of the iceberg. The income celebrities receive is based on how long they last on the show. Here’s the Dancing with the Stars salary payout that celebrities receive:

• Base salary (includes pre-season training, and filming for episodes 1-2): Stars make a guaranteed $125,000.
• Episodes 3-4: Participants get an additional $10,000 per episode.
• Episodes 5-6: Celebs earn $20,000 each episode to continue training and filming.
• Episodes 7-8: DWTS pays an extra $30,000 per episode for contestants who make it to this point.
• Episodes 9-10: Dancing with the Stars contestants receive a $50,000 payout per episode.

The grand total of potential earnings, according to Gawker, for stars who make it to the final episode is $345,000 — quite a decent salary for celebrities battling debt or simply looking for a way to supplement their income.

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DWTS contestants, however, run into trouble when they make poor decisions about how they use the money.

DWTS Financial Flops

Instead of using their Dancing with the Stars salary to avoid financial trouble, Go Banking Rates finds some stars went the other direction. Clearly, the earnings these financially-strapped celebrities received on DWTS wasn’t enough to steer them away from thousands of dollars of debt.

1. Pamela Anderson

Yet even after surviving six elimination rounds in season 10 of Dancing with the Stars (earning about $185,000), and returning for the first two episodes of this season’s DWTS All-Star Competition ($125,000), is still buried in debt.Pam isn’t a stranger to financial taboo, especially when it comes to dodging taxes. DWTS could have been a simple solution to resolving a big chunk of the $524,241 in past due debt she’s accumulated as a result of a tax lien.

2. Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson

In 2010, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson participated in DWTS, and made it to the final four. His dancing skills may have helped him land a Dancing with the Stars salary of over $240,000, but those earnings evidently never made it toward paying $400,000 Miami condo. Today, Johnson faces foreclosure due to over $28,000 in outstanding debt.

But it doesn’t end there. It looks like Johnson may soon join the list of broke NFL players, as he also took out a private $150,000 loan which needs to be repaid in full by 2015.

Unlike other stars who were able to use their stint on Dancing with the Stars to book more work, however, accusations of domestic abuse and bad press have led to Johnson being dropped from the Miami Dolphins and losing a major endorsement deal.

GoBankingRates.com a national website dedicated to connecting readers with the best interest rates on financial services nationwide, as well as informative personal finance content, news and tools. GoBankingRates.com is a division of ConsumerTrack, Inc., an 8-year leader in online lead generation, performance-based marketing, and customer acquisition in the financial, insurance and credit sectors. The company’s portfolio of 1500 finance websites includes GoBankingRates.com, GoInsuranceRates.com, and GoFreeCredit.com. These sites receive more than 2 million visits each month.