Luv Coach Q&A: Lend a Helping Hand!

I have a friend who has been living with her boyfriend for 10 years. He is married, and his wife lives in another home close by with their two adult boys. My friend is under the impression that she will get half of all his assets. I think the wife would get everything if her boyfriend fell in harms way. I tried to explain to her that if he decided to go back with his wife she would get nothing. How do you best help someone who has her head in the clouds?

Inheritance laws differ from state to state, but in the absence of a will, most states will pass half of the inheritance to the wife, and the other half will be split between the two boys. You are a good friend to look out for others, and keep their well-being in mind. This being said, you need to learn when you have done all that you can do. Feel free to research the inheritance laws in your state and print them up for your friend. Let her know that you are concerned for her future, but inevitably the choice to deal with this situation must be left in her hands. Once you have let her know, let go of your need to fix her situation, and allow her to take responsibility as an adult to make independent and informed choices for her life.

I have a friend whose wife cheated on him with a lot-and I mean a lot-of men. She is always saying she wants him back but is still cheating. They have one son and she has a girl with another man. He is 49 and she is 30, and she likes to stay out in the street; on the computer on chat lines; and on her phone having phone sex. She never has time for the children or her husband, but makes time for these other men. My friend needs help and I am not sure what to tell him. He wants her to leave him alone and just go on with her life and let him have some peace in his life, but she seems to want to make his life a living HELL. Please help me help him!

Reaching out to help others when they are in need is honorable, but you have to be sure that this person is ready to help themselves. It sounds like he is in an abusive relationship, and he and his children are being emotionally and physically abandoned. His wife may be struggling with an addiction, which would mean it's time for an intervention. The best way to help is to get him information and the number of a therapist and an addiction specialist. These are the people who can help him to make the changes that will move his life in a healthier direction. You are not qualified to tackle this situation yourself, but you can help him by being a support and suggesting he contact a professional. If he is truly ready to change his situation, he will have all the information he needs to move his life forward.

Famous Interracial Couples

Simon Cowell and Terri Seymour
Notorious for his blunt scowl and less than pleasant demeanor, Simon Cowell's smile is nevertheless always present when around longtime girlfriend, Afro-Caribbean hottie Terri Seymour.The pair have reportedly been dating since late 2002. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire, WireImage.com)

Paula Patton and Robin Thicke
Paula and her blue-eyed soul singer husband have been going strong since 2005. She has been featured on the cover of his 'Beatiful Girl' album and in his video and also featured in twoof his videos (Photo by Demis Maryannakis, Splash News)

Taye Diggs and Idina Mendel
This couple, playfully called "Tidina," a combination of their names, have been married since January 11, 2003. The couple met during the play RENT in 1996 and have been together ever since. (Photo by Ethan Miller, Getty Images)

Wolfgang Puck and Gelila Assefa
Married in July 2007, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and his wife, handbag maker Gelila Assefa make an internationally sexy pair. The couple have both a 20 year age gap and two sons. (Photo by Vince Bucci, Getty Images)

Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry
Even though she's ten years his senior, actress Halle Berry and French-Canadian supermodel Gabriel Aubry have been going strong for over two years. Nahla Ariela Aubry, the progeny of these two beautiful ones, was born on March 16, 2008. Berry, who has been married twice, says she has no plans to marry again. (Photo by Evan Agostini, Getty Images)

Seal and Heidi Klum
One of today's 'it' couples, Seal and Heidi Klum are not shy about their affection for each other (often photographed touching frequently). The couple, whose skin tones are beautiful in contrast, first met when Heidi was pregnant with ex-husband Flavio Briatore's child. They were married a year later in 2005 and now have two sons. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian, AP)

Robert Deniro and Grace Hightower
Robert Deniro married his second African American wife, Grace Hightower in 1997, but just a year later, the couple filed for divorce. They have a son, Eliot. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images)

Roger Ebert and Chaz Hammelsmith

Known to have dated Oprah Winfrey, Ebert is no stranger to strong black women. In 1993, he married then-trial attorney and current wife Chaz Hammelsmith, who has since become a judge. (Photo by Bryan Bedder, Getty Images)

Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush
Stars in their own right, these two have risen to tabloid stardom with their very public relationship. While he is a football phenomenon, she is a gorgeous socialite made famous by a reality show and a racy sex tape (see Ray J). (Photo by Ethan Miller, Getty Images)

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren
After being introduced to Tiger in 2001, the two began to date. By 2004 they were getting married at an exclusive golf resort in Barbados. On June 18, 2007, Woods announced the birth of their daughter, Sam Alexis Woods. (Photo by David Cannon, Getty Images)