My sister is a lawyer and has been divorced. I just called her and am waiting for her to call me back.

I looked up alimony laws in my state:

- for marriages lasting less than five years, alimony will last no more than 1/2 the length of the marriage
- for marriages that lasted between five and 10 years, alimony can’t exceed more than 60% of the length of the marriage

"... the requesting spouse must demonstrate a need for financial support and that the other spouse can pay."

"Judges may award rehabilitative support in cases where the lesser-earning spouse can become financially independent but needs financial support while working to obtain job training or education to enter the current job market. Rehabilitative alimony is temporary, and the court will only order it for the amount of time it will take for the supported spouse to become financially independent.

Reimbursement alimony is common in marriages where one spouse financially contributed to the other’s career or educational advancement. For example, if one spouse helped pay for the other’s medical school during the marriage, the court may order the recipient of the degree to pay back the spouse who contributed.

Transitional support is a periodic or lump-sum payment by a higher-earning spouse to help the supported spouse settle into a new lifestyle or location after the divorce. Transitional support is only available in divorces where the marriage lasted less than five years."

So he would have to request alimony payments and prove that he needs it for transitional support, or rehabilitative support.

He works full time and makes enough to support himself if he got a roommate.