Every tax system has two major components: the item that is being taxed (otherwise known as the tax base) and the rate at which it is taxed. With the income tax, the base is income. Contrary to what congress people might have you believe, however, the base of the death tax is not death. Rather, it is the size of the decedent's estate or the gross estate.

• How is this determined and, in particular, what is the starting point for this determination?

Please explain in detail