Gross estate is the total value of an estate at the time of their death. This includes any property owned by the decedent, any interests in other properties and certain properties that that had been gifted by the decedent within three years of their death. Certain life insurance and annuities are included in the gross estate calculation. In addition to the assets that are included in the gross estate are certain deductions, such as an unlimited marital deduction that covers assets passed to the surviving spouse. After these calculations are made, the value is considered to be the gross estate that is subject to Federal and possible state taxes. The estate tax is typically not imposed due to the Unfired Credit and the Federal Gift Tax Credit.