Most people make investments with an eye toward saving on taxes, and college investments are no exception. A Coverdell Education Savings Account is one vehicle in which earnings grow tax-deferred, and are never taxed if they are used for the beneficiary's qualified education expenses.
Qualified tuition programs are generally tax-favored, and make it possible for you to make contributions now toward education expenses in the future. Interest in Series EE and Series I Savings Bonds grows tax-deferred, and may never be taxed if the bonds are redeemed in a year when you pay your child's college tuition.
You also need to determine who should own the investments that are going towards your child's education. That decision will be made, in part, based on your tax bracket, whether or not you qualify for financial aid and your net worth.
