Discharging zakaat

Q: I had a couple of questions about Zakat:

1. I became saahib-e-nisaab in Rabi-al-Awwal. However in order to gain the blessings of Ramadan I wanted to give my zakat during that month. In 1433 I gave my zakat funds in Rabi-al-Awwal as per my cycle, and in Ramadan 1433 (same year) I gave zakat on the estimated amount I would have in the following year- Rabi-al-Awwal 1434 (which I then verified in Rabi-al-Awwal to ensure the full zakat had been discharged based on the actual amount I had).  Is it now possible for me to switch my zakat cycle to every Ramadan? Or if I have to pay in Ramadan, do I still have to calculate it each year based on the projected amount for the next Rabi-al-Awwal?
2. My brother and mother had asked me to pay Zakat to someone on their behalf and then they would transfer the funds later. I made the payment and then we later forgot to do the transfer and I just came across the amounts in a note I made back then. I don't really want to take the money from them money now - would their obligation be fulfilled if I paid the zakat on their behalf from my money and didn't take it from them?

Q: At our madrasah in Kenya, we recieve different items as zakat and other as donation from individuals and other sources. Can we sell these items in our madrasa premises at reduced prices and utilize the proceeds from the sale for the madrasah? At times the items recieved cannot be distributed equally among the students.

Q: At times people give me their zakaat to discharge on their behalf. Once I gave from my personal money thinking that I will take it later from an amount of zakaat kept away. When I went to replace the money, I realized that the amount was already dicharged. A few days later, I received another amount of zakaat. Will it be correct for me to replace my personal money from the second amount of zakaat although my intention was to take it from the first amount?

Q: If I have lent some money to a needy friend and the latter is absconding from repayment and is avoiding me, can I later consider this money as zakaat without telling him that I am considering the sum due as zakaat to him?

Q: My haul-date in zakat is the 27th of Ramadan. Is it permissible for me to pay X pounds before the 27th, if I know that my zakat will be to more than X pounds, and pay the rest after the 27th (when I have calculated the exact amount)? Or do I have to pay everything after the 27th?

Q: I told the brothers they can pay zakah earlier then the time it is due. Example Ramadaan is in a week so give it now to benefit the poor. The people said it makes no sense. They said, then why can I not fast a month earlier. Why can I not pray salaah a day before. Is it that we can give zakaah earlier because it is to benefit the poor? Can you please help me answer this brother.

Q: This is how I discharge my zakaat every year:

A certain lady is in charge of an organization that builds homes for widows, so what I do, for example, 200 000 dollars is my zakaat, so I give it to her and tell her build homes for 4 widows, sometimes I give the money directly to the bank in charge of the project, is this ok?

Q: A friend of ours gave us his zakat money to send it to his other friend was in another country to distribute it there. When we contacted that foreign friend he said he doesn't know anyone so pls don't send me the money. The zakat giver had told us we can give to anyone else deserving. When we found someone suitable we realised we lost the money. We tried very hard to find it. It could be stolen. But we are not sure. What should we do. If we tell him he might get upset. Can we pay his zakat without telling him? Do we have to pay for him?

Q: If I give my zakaat to an organization, will my zakaat be fulfilled as soon as i give them my zakaat or only once they have distributed my zakaat? If it only gets fulfilled once they distribute it then what happens when in todays time we make an EFT to the organizations zakaat account but they distribute from that account as the need arises? My zakaat could stay in their accounts for years. will my zakaat still not be fulfilled?

Q: 1. Does the payment of Zakaah have to be precise on the day its discharged? or can it be earlier or later? If so, how early or how late? 

2. When is the best time to calculate and give Zakaah?