I don't recall seeing that specific question asked before. In this forum, you only likely to get opinions, not a definitive answer.
That said, my opinion is that it is the person claiming the deduction (exclusion) that had to be 24 when the bonds were purchased.
Actual wording:
You can take the tax exclusion if you meet all of these conditions:
- You were 24 years old or older before the bonds were issued.
- Your modified adjusted gross income is less than the cut-off amount that the IRS sets for the year in which you want to take the exclusion. The cut-off amount may change each year. You can find the current cut-off amount on IRS Form 8815.
- You cash the qualifying savings bonds in the same tax year for which you are claiming the exclusion.
- You paid qualified higher education expenses to an eligible institution that same tax year. (The instructions that come with IRS Form 8815 explain both "qualified expenses" and "eligible institution." They also tell you what records you must keep.)
- The expenses were for yourself, your spouse, or someone you list as a dependent on your federal income tax return.
- You file your IRS tax return with any status EXCEPT married filing separately.
Source: https://www.treasurydirect.gov/savings-bonds/tax-information-ee-i-bonds/using-bonds-for-higher-educa...
