Dundee United's wage to turnover ratio currently sits an alarming 133 per cent.
The Championship club's budget, around £4million, heavily outweighs the £3.12 turnover announced in their latest financial figures.
A ratio below 60 per cent is generally viewed as acceptable, with United's more than twice that level.
Figures also show the club have made the highest operating loss in their history at £3.8m, up from £1.6m last year.
The accounts have been released in a brochure to shareholders ahead of United 's agm on Tuesday, reports The Scotsman.
American owner Mark Ogren has backed boss Robbie Neilson to finally secure a return to the Premiership, with 11 players arriving in the January transfer window.
The figures, which cover until the end of June, do not include the wage being paid to Lawrence Shankland.
He was signed in July with United fending off interest from England to bring the former Ayr United star to Tannadice.
Shankland has since scored 15 goals and received a call-up to Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Russia and San Marino.
United currently sit top of the second tier and are favourites to win the title having dropped out of the top flight in 2016.
